People Books

There were things in this book that had never crossed our minds. A great book to have in your collection and easy to understand.

I bought this book after I heard Sandra speak at an ADHD convention... A very thorough book on how to teach ADHD children. If you are going to buy just one book that says it all this is it...

As the wife of a husband with ADHD and mother of a son with ADHD, I have struggled for years like many other reviewers to do what is right for "my boys". Sandra Reif offers some very encouraging and helpful strategies in this books. I think the key point that all books on ADHD need to make is that each person with ADHD is an individual with unique talents and gifts, and we need to view these in a positive light. Anyone who has struggled with this needs to read a book called GIFTED by Kirk Martin. It's actually a novel about a young man with ADD who comes to understand that the "disorder" parents and teachers had considered negative all his life actually turns out to be a gift. I think you can read a summary at kirkmartinbooks.com, it presents an entirely new way to view the ones you love.

This book made me wish that ALL reference books were written this clearly. Whether your looking to use this book to do a presentation in school, a teacher looking for help on teaching ADHD students, or have an ADHD child of your own, this is for you. It's a no non sense, straight forward guide to ADHD. It includes the causes, symptoms, treatment suggestions, and more. It even goes into specific strategies that teachers can use in the classroom.

The best part about it is that its broken down into detailed chapters and sections, making it easy for yout to find EXACTLY what your looking for. It's also written in VERY understandable terms. This is not a medical book, it's a for the average person. This book is an unbeleiveably well written guide to one of the most common learning disabilities of today. If your looking for a great reference, look no further, you've found the best.

This 'manual' presents a technical and philosophical overview of the complex array of variables that factor into effective teaching of the ADHD child. The author has compassion as well as insight into the children, who often face rejection and failure. The co-occuring low self esteem can carry over a lifetime. A variety of methodologies specific to learning domains are very helpful for diagnostic purposes and lesson planning. As a principal and mental health administrator, I have this book well-placed on my shelf. I refer to it often and occasionally lend it to my staff who are searching for help with a specific child.

Glancing back at the chapters as I prepared this review, I was actually astounded at the sophisticated details embedded there. In particular I think the information that supports the "multi-sensory" approach is greatly needed. The amount of times we write "multi-sensory" activities just because it fits in an IEP is amazing. My own experience with teachers is that they basically have a very limited understanding of the neurological underpinings of sensory and perceptual limitations.

My only reservation about the book is that despite its layout, it actually is fairly theoretical. I think that when a teacher reaches for it, he or she may be looking for some more 'lesson planning' ideas and tend to gloss over the more comprehensive information. I definitely recommend the book for special education teachers who are genuinely interested in a more in-depth review, as well as for purposes of diagnostic and prescriptive planning. I also recommend it for administrators who are involved in staff development or individual supervision.
The only other concern I have is that despite the amount of information about the medication questions, it does not include enough about the tomes of research that is available to support augmenting behavioral programs with psychopharmacology. A teacher should check with his or her supervisor to gain access to this data so that they can respond to questions on this highly charged subject with sophisticated and thus helpful answers.

This book that will lift your spirits and warm your heart!

Willy was once an abandoned, handicapped chihuahua puppy dumped on the streets in a cardboard box.

Thanks to his adopter, who discovered the world of wheelchairs for dogs, Willy learned to fly!

Adults and children adore this book, and it is especially significant to the handicapped who share a special bond with Willy.

Make sure you also read How Willy Got His Wings

I find that the best inspirational tales come from real life - and this book is no exception. I saw the owner of Willy (yes, there actually is a real Willy) on Animal Planet and knew I just had to buy the book. It is as charming as expected and not just because of spunky little Willy, whose back legs are paralyzed and who has to learn to "walk" again, with the help of a special wheel-cart. It is just as inspiring to read of his owner's attempts to find a way to get him walking - using everything from acupuncture to helium balloons to hold up the back legs. A great read for the entire family!

This is the perfect book to teach empathy to children. The kindness that author Deborah Turner demonstrates towards her pet dog can be extended to humankind as well. We need to accept and love animals (and people) despite their weaknesses and frailties, focusing instead on their strengths and the love that comes back to us.

I read the book after hearing about it on tv, and have sent it to my great nieces. You see I am like Willy I am also in a wheelchair. I have never gotten to see my great-nieces in person and hope that when they reed the book and their mom explains to them that I am (like Willy) in a wheelchair that they cn understand why I haven't been able to come see them (they are in Oregon and I am in Missouri). Willy is a courageous pup and we can all learn from him how to face life's adversities.

Willy the Chihuahua lives at an animal hospital, because his back legs don't work. He dreams of having a home and a family and playing with other animals and chasing sticks. Then one day, a pretty lady comes and takes him home with her! Willy meets his new brother, another Chihuahua named Sweet Pea, and his new sister, a fluffy silver cat named Marshmallow.

Willy still can't walk or run, and has to use his front legs to drag himself from place to place, until his new mother tries some different ideas to help him get around--with often humorous results.

Filled with bright, gorgeous watercolor illustrations that even pre-readers can appreciate, HOW WILLY GOT HIS WHEELS is the story of a loveable and courageous little dog. Written for age levels 5-10, it's a book that everyone from toddlers to adults can enjoy on many levels. Authors Turner and Mohler have done a tremendous job of showing life from a physically disabled viewpoint without preaching or patronizing. Here's hoping we will get to hear more of Willy's adventures in the near future!

Kimberly Borrowdale Under the Covers Book Reviews

Great Book by an author who was born into the game and has the unique abilty to show blacks involvement with Wallstreet since day one.

You never know where you're going unless you know where you came from! I just started the book, and I wish my finance professors had incorporated this into the otherwise impeccable curriculum at Clark Atlanta. Very interesting read. Every person on wall street should read it, it's not only black history but AMERICAN history.

I found the information in this book very informative and surprising that black participation in finance went back as far as it did. Stories of black stockbrokers and mutual fund salesmen in the 1950's to the investment bankers of today, records the slow but meaningful progress made on the Street in the last few decades. Hopefully, the progress will continue....

This book was an impulse buy for me, I have always had little interest in Wall Street but my son works in the securities industry so I thought I would read this for some background. I am very glad I did because I did not realize how deep African American history in the financial world is. I enjoyed the stories of people like Philip Jenkins and John Patterson, early pioneers who deserve greater recognition for their contributions. I think that this book is an important contribution of both African American and Wall Street history and does a good job of illuminating aspects about the history of finance that went unrecognized for far too long.

This book fills in the missing pages of Wall Street's History. It documents how African-Americans overcame racism and other barriers to become successful in the financial securities industry. This should be part of every business school's curriculum.

My daughter needed to do some non-fiction book reports and this was great. She became very interested in the different facts about eating habits from around the world (past and present). Gross stuff always grabs their attention and of course they love to share....Would be great for boys but girls enjoy gross stuff too! Good for 8 thru 10ish.

My 9 y.o. daughter asked for this book for a gift. She read it right away, laughing and exclaiming. It is fun, pretty easy to read, and could be a good way to work in some science or cultural discussions! Ex: People ate what was available(plentiful) or sensible to prepare where they lived. See some of what American's ate in 1776 on page 25. It can also serve to stimulate more indepth study of different cultures around the world or in history. There are lots of funny poems and artwork included.

This is a very neat book, a little gross for me but the boy that I'm gave it to loves it (11 yr. old).

I first checked this book out from the library for my son when he was 3 1/2 years-old. He was transfixed as I read to him all the different types of things that people have eaten and still do eat today. Instead of being grossed out, he wanted to try them all! He loves squid and seaweed and is just dying to eat some grasshoppers. We ended up buying the book after checking it out twice in a row and I'm so glad we did. When he was 4, he took it in to share with his Montessori pre-school class. Last year he took it into share with his kindergarten class. And this year he's taken it into his 1st grade class twice; once to share and once to "prove" to his teacher that bugs really ARE a good example of a protein-loaded food. Fabulous, interest-grabbing format and illustrations just add to the great information within. A great intro to cultural studies, too.

An excellent little book with sensational illustrations. This book explores some of the foods from around the world which different cultures enjoy, but which may seem disgusting to us. Everything thing eaten is not in here but there is a good selection. What was eaten throughout history around the world is also included.

My favourite section is part three - Strange Stories from your own Kitchen which explains what cows eat and how that food gets turned into the milk which we drink. There is also similar information on how bees make honey.

There's also a few recipes and 19 poems as well. I am not really into poems so they didn't do much for me but if you are into poetry then this may well be a bonus for you. The illustrations in this book are sensational though, and worth the price alone.

This book was in very good condition, and I would buy again from this seller.

The Lord has blessed everyone through Gayle Irwin as the Spirit of Jesus is displayed for us to view between the paper covers of this book.
Bill Bracken, Pastor Calvary Stanberry

I was raised in a church organization that was cultlike in its legalism. We read the same Bible as everyone else but by the time I was 7 (about when I could read it myself), it was clear to me that the God being taught and the God of the Bible were two very different people. As the child of my parents, my mind believed what I was taught but as a child of God, my heart could never accept it. Jesus is the man that Gayle Erwin wrote about and the God who had been speaking to my heart for my whole life. I just had to get my head straight. The Jesus Style was the tool God used. Most people reviewing this book remark on its depiction of true Christianity. For me, it simply saved my life. I couldn't find the real Jesus anywhere and had begun to think that maybe that person about whom I was taught as a child was the real Jesus. I was ready to turn my back on God and walk away, my life had been so painful. In the pages of this book, Gayle Erwin described the Jesus my heart had always known and of course, backed it up with scripture. I cannot explain the joy I felt to have been so affirmed. I knew I wasn't crazy. I knew the Jesus I read was different and so did Gayle Erwin. This book is in its 40 somethingth printing now. I am sure hundreds of thousands of copies have gone out. But I believe that God inspired this work of Gayle Erwin to pull this girl out of the despair that legalism causes, to put my feet back on the path and get me moving again. A couple of years ago, it was my greatest happiness to drive to hear Gayle Erwin speak. I hoped I would have a chance to talk to him. I wanted to thank him and I did. Without any God in my life, I don't know where I would have ended up. God used this man and this book at that particular time to reach me. If you are reading this, it is entirely possible that Jesus is trying to reach you too. Do what Gayle Erwin did....Listen. You have no idea how your life could change.

This book outlines in clear and unwavering language what it truly means to be a servant. It was very apparent that what most Christians consider being Christ-like and a servant to mankind is off the mark. Gayle Erwin will point you in the right direction without any vacillating at all. There are several occasions where Mr. Erwin is critical of even himself and how he has behaved in his walk with God.

If you consider yourself a Christian, other than the Bible, this is one of the most important books you will ever read.

If you have ever wondered what it truly means to follow Jesus, or if you have ever wondered "What Would Jesus Do?" then this book is a must read.

Written in plain language, this is an easy read. I found it to be an absolute joy to read it and gained some interesting insights in to the style of our Lord and Savior.

Truly a delightful, useful book, I recomend it to everyone.

John Midas is a great book! My favorite part is when he fights the serpent. He gets stuck in the serpent's mouth. If you want to know what happened then read the book.

John and his family go to Australia for Christmas and when they go to Ayers Rock the adventure begins. Mr. Ngoru tells John not to go in but he doesn't listen and he goes in anyway. There on the other side of Uluru, he meets the aborigines. If you want to know more, read John Midas in the Dreamtime. The book was great because the adventure was about the aborigines and I learned more about the aborigines.

This book is great! It has a lot of action. John goes to Australia. John goes to Ayers rock and finds a cave. When John runs in, he finds himself in the dreamtime. John has to teach the aborigines how to survive. If you want to find out more, read the book. I would recommend this book because it taught me how it was a long time ago in the dreamtime.

By Mark A. Durham

I am now 25 and still remember this book very fondly. It includes elements of time travel, a foreign country, the aboriginal culture and some fantastic beasts. What more could a kid ask for? I must have read it when I was ten years old or so. I'm not sure why it got a negative editorial review, maybe the critic is out of touch with kids!

John Midas in the Dreamtime By Patric Skene Catling
In this book John and his family are going to Australia,for their winter vacation.John is looking for a real adventure,which he's not getting.When John enters a forbidden cave, he gets lost in time.He goes into Dreamtime! John is bumping into weird situations like crying kangaroos.John meets the Aborigines and soon realizes these people don't really know much.John is going to have to teach them how to make fire and things like that.When John comes to a hard situation with the Rainbow Serpent what will happen? Will John be a hero and save the day? To find out read John Midas in the Dreamtime.It is an excellent book. John Midas in the Dreamtime is very adventurous.Maybe it will start making you daydream about the Dreamtime.If you like adventurous books you'll LOVE John Midas in the Dreamtime!

As mothers and daughters, we often fail each other along the way. Certainly that is the case in Last Seen Leaving. I could have done without the profanity...

Last Seen Leaving by Kelly Braffet begins with a car wreck and a death. Anne Cassidy, estranged from her daughter Miranda for quite some time, after one very bad day at work, decides to check up on her. One call turns into two, and then three, and then four...until the voice on the answering machine finally stops only to be replaced by another stating that the line is no longer in service. A strange worry and foreboding come upon Anne and the rest of the story is filled with her search, flashes into the distant past, and chapters alternating between characters.

First off, I'll say that any other person could have written this story, could have tried to, and it would have been nowhere near as good. I don't like when reviews give away crucial parts of the plot, as I have said many times, so I won't go any farther into the story.
For the past seven to eight years I have been pretty much reading nonstop, going through piles of books, most of which weren't worth the time it took to read them. In that amount of time, only one book comes to mind when I think of an amazing style of writing, and that is Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha. Kelly Braffet's novel has seriously surprised and impressed me enough to where I think that, in terms of powerful writing, both books, though dealing with entirely different circumstances, topics, and even time periods, can be put in a category together. This is the kind of book I go to the library for and only hope to find. So, even if you're not really partial to the storyline in itself, I would recommend reading this book just for the sake of the writing style. Kelly Braffet's words and scenes flow and fit the story so well it felt like I was watching everything happening instead of simply reading.

Overall: Last Seen Leaving is, put lightly, a great book full of secrets, murders, accidents, strange characters, and a satisfying ending that made me like the story even more. I don't recommend overlooking this book.

A unique story about a mother who goes looking for the missing daughter who does not want to be found...just yet. Braffet has a gift for lasering in on human emotion and creating distinct character voices. The mother and daughter were as different as...well, mothers and daughters often are. This is the touchstone of this well told story - the insight of two generations who are different, but not so different that they cannot love the other. And if that weren't enough, while the mother/daughter search and hide story is ongoing, there is yet another mystery unfolding in the background. One of the most satisfying novel endings I've read this year.

Ms. Braffet has crafted a family drama under the guise of a thriller. In the openning chapter Miranda Cassidy, a troubled 20 something young woman, goes missing when she accepts a ride from a stranger after a car accident on the a highway in Pennsylvania. Her mother Anne, who lives in Sedona Arizona, begins to get concerned when Miranda does not return her calls. Their estranged relationship plays out as she travels cross country to begin her search. There are interesting twists with alternating sections devoted to Anne and Miranda. Ms. Braffet's style is clear and consise. Her character development is solid. Her plot twists keep you guessing until the end. Four stars because it could have been either a little more thriller or a little more family drama. A very good, quick read.

Kelly Braffet captured me, involved me in the characters and held me to the end. She wove the story intricately thru time with rich descriptions that left me begging for more. Her first book, Josie & Jack, was also rich in descriptive phrases but more loosely wound & a bit surreal, leaving you with the strange feeling that you're not sure what you just read. But I believe that was the intent, making it a great first effort.
Last Seen Leaving is the perfect title because each of the characters IS Last Seen Leaving, by disappearance or as an escape, and possibly both. I will read this book again...soon!

Leader Effectiveness Training (L.E.T.)--The Foundation for Participative Management and Employee Involvement
Leadership is the "in" topic with top business schools like Harvard and Stanford. It is basically what students get judged upon. In the masses of books on this subject however, no other book goes to the deep roots of the relational approach generating unimposed leadership (the essence of leadership is that it speaks by itself, when it has to be imposed it is called authority).
This book offers a model for developping the skills generating instntly accepted leadership.
It is a must read not only for every student aiming at an MBA but also for every active business man (already gifted or not).
The beauty is that it is pleasant to read. It is not a boring student type of analysis. It is just lively, practical, based on solid common sense, but far reaching.
An added quality is that the style grasps the reader emotionally, and most people read it from cover to cover (a rare feat with business books).

This was the first training and book that I ever participated in on leadership. And, that was 21 years ago! It is still timely and effective. I was impressed in re-reading the book how much of the practices that I had incorporated and made my own. This training and book made a remarkable impact in my life.

If you want the basics on leadership in one bundle - then you want this book. Read it. Use it. Re-read it. Become a more effective and influential leader.

Good, but since I have already read the Parent Effectiveness Training it was a little redundant, and slow moving.

easy to read, we are using it for our class, communication and conflict resolution skills in our team.

I bought this book to use as a reference for a paper that I was writing on the subject of leadership for a communication class. The class had to do with small group communication. As I read Dr. Gordon's approach to leadership, I found that his participative management style was really what I was looking for and a great fit for how leadership can work effectively in a small group. Although the style of his book is definitely written as a "training" book for effective leadership, it has many thought provoking and practical insights that you can apply in many other areas of your life. We all find ourselves in groups throughout our lives in various and diverse situations and circumstances. This book offers some down to earth, common sense advice that you can take and apply when you find yourself as the "leader of the pack" so to speak.

I particularly enjoyed the section on " Doing it yourself - or with the groups help". I think that many people mistakenly believe that you have to use your power and manipulate people to be a good leader and to get a job done. Dr. Gordon shows the advantages of being a facilitator and drawing upon the strengths and resources of all members of the team.

The principles described in this book will not go out of style, because it deals with people communicating with people. Times may change, but leading people will still be the common factor that spans the ages. It can be a great tool for a new leader or for one who wants to brush up on their leadership skills. As a student, I know I'll be referring to it in future classes. This will definitely be one of those books that I'll keep on my bookshelf for future reference.

Like Me is a heartwarming picturebook about a young boy named Miquel who has just turned eight, and is old enough to care for a puppy of his own. He works hard doing chores and odd jobs to earn enough money to buy the puppy. But the one puppy he wants is special - it was born with a limp and cannot run or chase as well as the other young dogs. The last page reveals why the lame puppy is so important to Miquel; for Miquel wears a silver metal brace around his leg. The warm color pictures and positive message of responsibility make Like Me an endearing book for young readers.

This story is a classic tale of the dignity and worth of an individual. The illustrations alone would be worth the price of the book. The story it tells, and the wonderful surprise ending, make it one of my choices of the year. Very highly recommended.

A fantastic children's book with a heart-warming twist at the end.

Lovely illustrations enliven this sweet tale and its surprise ending. Great opportunity for teaching empathy.

This is a very cute book. The best part is the surprise ending! It also has really nice illustrations.

This is a fine book to add to your Little House collection. It's interesting reading even if you never travel to the sites.

I read a number of the Little House books recently, and when I finished I was fired up to learn more about Laura and her family. Even though I can't plan a trip in the near future to visit the places Laura called home, I loved reading about each spot in THE LITTLE HOUSE GUIDEBOOK.

Each chapter discusses the location of each "little house," including places that Laura lived in but didn't write about. Almanzo Wilder's homes are also included. We see photographs and read descriptions of what each place looks like now, how and when each spot was honored as a Laura Ingalls Wilder historical site, along with suggestions for interesting places to visit and stay.

The first chapter, which deals with "the little house in the big woods" of Pepin, Wisconsin, tells the tale of how Charles and Caroline Ingalls (Laura's parents) were among the earliest settlers of western Wisconsin. One interesting note: the house in the big woods was actually the Ingalls's home twice. The family sold the land once, moving to Kansas. However, the buyer quit making payments and the Ingalls returned. As with many of Laura's little houses, the original cabin is gone but visitors can tour a replica.

The next chapter discusses the setting of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, near Independence, Kansas. Here we learn more about the land issues between the Native Americans and the settlers, which eventually prompted the Ingalls to leave their prairie home.

The following chapters cover Plum Creek, near Walnut Grove, Minnesota; the Masters Hotel in Burr Oak, Iowa (covered in OLD TOWN IN THE GREEN GROVES, written by Cynthia Rylant); and De Smet, South Dakota (otherwise known as "The Little Town on the Prairie" and also covered in the books BY THE SHORES OF SILVER LAKE, THESE HAPPY GOLDEN YEARS and THE FIRST FOUR YEARS).

Laura and Almanzo eventually moved to the Ozarks in Mansfield, Missouri, where they established Rocky Ridge Farm. Here, visitors can tour their white farmhouse, kept just as the Wilders had it in the 1940s and 1950s, along with the Rock House that daughter Rose had built for Laura and Almanzo in 1928.

Almanzo's houses come next: his boyhood farm home in Malone, New York, still stands and can be toured. Almanzo's parents moved to Spring Valley, Minnesota; although their Minnesota farmhouse is long gone, rabid Wilder fans may want to visit the town museums and the graveyard where Almanzo's brother Royal is buried.

Speaking of fans, THE LITTLE HOUSE GUIDEBOOK is fascinating for Laura's many admirers. It's eye-opening to read about these various locations. The photographs by Leslie A. Kelly are a fine addition, giving readers a view of each area and a peek into how people lived back in Laura's time.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

It is best for anyone who plan to travel to all sites of where Laura is born and raise and lived in. I am serious considering to go to some sites myself after read that book. It is great book.

Many Minnesotans have visited the original Wilder sites, but this book contains infomation that was new to even a jaded "Wilder" fan!

William Anderson has done a fabulous job in painstakingly documenting everything there is to see from New York to South Dakota that has anything to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" series. Ever wondered what happened to Pa's fiddle? Or if the house dug out from the banks of Plum Creek is still intact? This book has the answers. Complete with color photographs, addresses, phone numbers and maps, as well as ample background information, The Little House Guidebook is a must have for Little House fans everywhere. Even if you never get to visit these places, this book will take you there.