Education Books

This book is great! This book teaches you tricks that really work and really makes you wonder how people came up with them.

One thing I wanted to reccommend - Although this book is for mental math, going through it, I always kept a pencil and paper by my side - some of the concepts/tricks were a little abstract to simply read and absorb the first time around, so they needed a couple of examples (on paper) to solidify the 'trick' for me. After I worked out a couple of problems on pen and paper, I was able to grasp the ability to do them mentally.

One of the best things this book teaches is guesstimation and more importantly, how to forumulate your 'guesses' so you are not so far off from target. I had been doing guesstimation for ages but the methods mentioned in the book were pretty good guidelines for my future guesses.

This book is a must have for anyone that is afraid of numbers because these simple tricks will make difficult math problems a little easier to deal with. The time saving techniques this book is filled with can shave seconds off of your problem solving skills which, come test time (math test, SAT, any test which involves math), you'll be thinking about this book and thanking the author.

I recently purchased this book after a stranger in a bookstore suggested it. I'm already impressed. There are quite a few 'speed math' books out there, but this one is easily accessible to everyone and is intended to help with everyday life. I'm fairly advanced in college-level math and I intuitively knew some of the suggestions in the book, but it has helped me brush up, learn new things, and most of all learn how to do it BETTER.

I highly recommend this book to students because it is a tremendous help to know how to perform quick math in your head. Even if you have a calculator, just knowing what to expect for the outcome helps you perform faster and serves as a double-check when you need it. And knowing how to do math quickly is essential on a standardized test like the SAT. Even if you know how to do all the problems correctly, the time limit can cripple you--so do yourself a favor and get this book.

Some of the topics covered in this book include 'basic' to 'advanced' multiplication, mental division, guesstimation, calculating the day of the week, and memorizing numbers through mnemonics.

This book is very well written. I have always done well in math classes. I never really enjoyed mathematics though. This book makes what seems impossible possible. If you ever wanted to be able to square a number like 72 in your head in seconds this is the book for you.

I have always been good at math, but I still found a lot of the tricks in this book new and handy. Most of these tricks don't require that you are good at math - my husband was even able to do them!

I'm neither interested in squaring three-digit numbers in my head nor in doing mathematical magic. I'm only interested in practical mental math. I did buy this book for chapter 5; *** Good Enough; The Art of 'Guesstimation' ***. I've been doing guesstimations for many years intuitively, not very structured. This fine chapter teaches beginners the art of guesstimation while experts can go back to the basics and hone their skills while they might discover something new ... I did do so with approximating years needed for trippling an investment given interest rates of X% p.a.

SHE'S SO MONEY
CHERRY CHEVA

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Maya could never imagine a little freedom could cause so much trouble. When her parents leave her in charge of the family restaurant and her younger brother, Nat, she never thought the restaurant would end up with a hefty fine thanks to two bitchy customers. But in order to keep the 10K fine a secret from her over-controlling parents, she needs to pay it off before they can find out about it. And that's where Camden King comes in.

Camden King needs help with his homework. His first encounter with Maya as his tutor doesn't go well at all, especially when he comes across as a bit of a jerk. In fact, she quits when he offers to pay her to do his homework. But Camden is anything but easily deterred.

I have to admit I thought the first chapter or two of the book felt a little slow to me. It wasn't until Maya was left on her own that the story began to pick up. One of the scenes that stuck with me takes place fairly early in the book. Maya and Camden are talking in the school hallway, having just come to an agreement about the `homework' issue. He starts asking her about having a boyfriend and she says she hasn't had one and when she says she hasn't been kissed, Camden leans over and kisses her. I absolutely loved Maya's reaction to the kiss!

Cherry Cheva is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan and currently lives in Los Angeles where she writes for the animated series, Family Guy. SHE'S SO MONEY is her first novel. Visit her online at http://www.myspace.com/cherrycheva

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
June 2008

She's So Money was one of the best books I have ever read!! Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down!! I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next!! It's a character driven book and action packed, when the main character finds herself in a heap of trouble and the only way she can get out of it is to go against her beliefs and team up with the most popular guy in school and do something she never thought she would!!

I first heard about this book on a few different blogs, all of which gave it great reviews, so I figured I would check it out.

This book certainly delivered. It is absolutely hilarious, and the plot really makes one want to keep reading. My only complaint is that the romance seemed a little unrealistic. Other than that, however, this is a great summer read. I would even recommend giving this to "reluctant readers". I hope to see more from this author in the future.

She's So Money is the story of a Thai teenage girl named Maya living in Michigan. She's the nerdy smart girl who tutors for extra money. She's the girl who waitresses at her parents' Thai restaurant for tips which go into the college fund. She's also the girl who's never been kissed, wants to go to Stanford, pisses off one unhappy vegan customer, and now has to come up with $10,000 in fines to pay the Health Department.

That's right; the one time Maya's parents leave Maya is charge of the restaurant, nearly everything that can go wrong does. The angry vegan customer threatens to call the Health Department, and at first Maya doesn't take her seriously. Unfortunately, she and her brother also decide to save cleaning up the restaurant for the next day. That leads to the large fine. Maya is too ashamed to tell her parents, her brother, or her friends. All that's left to do is come up with the money to pay the debt. The only problem is how. Maya then makes the decision to do other people's homework for money.

When I first saw this book, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical because the cover was a little over the top. But, I tried not to judge and started reading. I was very impressed. Cherry Cheva does a fantastic job of portraying the strict Asian parents of the geeky Asian girl (and I would know). Some of the characters were stereotyped, such as the nerdy Asian kid and the ditzy popular girls. There were a couple slightly unexpected twists, but the plot was overall straightforward. It seemed a little unrealistic that the popular guy Camden fell for Maya in the end, because things like those almost never happen in real life, but it was cute anyway.

I definitely recommend this novel to all people interested in accurate representations and stories of high school. The novel is very funny, and readers who liked The Squad series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes will especially appreciate the humor. I also think readers who liked How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler will also find She's So Money a fun read.

[...]

Maya is that girl...you know the one. The girl who gets straight A's, works as a tutor, and helps her parents out at their Thai cuisine restaurant in her spare time. But there's more to her than just being a good girl. Maya can't wait to get out of Michigan and start her life, and hopefully have a little fun along the way.





But when she's left in charge of the restaurant for the weekend and gets a little careless, she's smacked with a $10,000 fine. She's at a loss as to what to do about it until Camden King, the biggest idiot she's ever had to tutor, suggests that she charge students in exchange for doing their homework. Despite her reservations, Maya needs the money, and soon she's got herself a complex cheating ring that is teetering precariously on lies and half truths. If only she can hold out until she can earn enough money to pay that fine...





There's no doubt about it--She's So Money is a hilarious, fun, and wild romp. Maya's journey to finding herself and gaining confidence is one that will reach across to many girls and strike home, even if the ride getting there is a bit bumpy. Cheva doesn't sugar coat the cheating aspects of the book. She tells it like it is, and gives Maya very plausible reasons to take the actions that she does. It all culminates in an ending that although may seem a little too good to be true at first, is quite believable and entirely gratifying.

After trying hooked on Phonics (which is completely backward) my son is thriving on this program...He has turned from a reading hater to loving it. I could not be more impressed. I love all the materials and when you open the box for the first time the joy of seeing everything inside is exciting. A++++++++++++

Love this curriculum can't say it enought!!! However the readers that correspond with On Track are not correct. There are many difference from the reader and the questions asked on the comprehension page in the book which is frustrating.

I highly recommend this program to anyone wanting to find "the" reading program that WILL ensure success the first time around with only fun and NO tears!

My son, 5yrs. old and a home schooled kindergartener, devoured the information and came to "school" every day ready to see what his Sing, Spell, Read and Write lesson would be.

STARTS AT THE VERY BEGINNING My son had only been to preschool and wasn't even able to recognize and give the sounds for the letters when he began Sing, Spell Read and Write this year. He began Sing, Spell, Read and Write in September and finished in mid-January. He now reads books and confidently sounds out words he hasn't come across before. He moved on to Level 1 and his excitement about the program is just as fresh as when we started.

RESULTS WHILE HAVING FUN!! I look forward to our Sing, Spell, Read and Write daily lesson just as much as my son! Learning is enjoyable when it is fun. My favorite part of the program as a "teacher" is that the author makes it literally impossible for a student to get through the programs without the basics solidified if the program is followed as prescribed.

A COMPLETE PROGRAM Sing, Spell, Read and Write does not hit-and-miss. The author takes a very logical, systematic approach and makes it fun and memorable for parent and student. Although thorough, the program is anything but redundant or boring. All of the author's thoughtful, thorough planning sets the student up to succeed, keeping them encouraged about their abilities and engaging them so they desire more "fun" (learning).

ORGANIZATION AND PREPARATION TIME The instructions are straightforward and simple. A parent/teacher instruction video, color-coordinated manuals and workbooks, and a train track the student moves along to physically "see" how far he's come makes this program pleasantly easy and fun to implement. The program takes very little daily preparation, so the bulk of the time gets to be focused on doing the fun daily activities!

I feel my son and I got more than our money's worth out of Sing, Spell, Read and Write.

A quick note about the other levels. My first grade gdaughter is in Level 1 Raceway and my 3-year-old is using the pre-k Sing, Spell, Read and Write Program. Both levels are just as fantastic as the Kindergarten program, in my opinion. We all play the phonics games and sing the songs together before moving on to each child's separate activities each day, and even the younger ones are soaking in some of what my oldest is doing in Level 1.

I had been wanting "Sing, Spell, Read & Write" curriculum for over a year when finally I decided to bite the bullet and try it out. My six year old has a very short attention span and needs to be in motion constantly, it seems. She loves music and games, so this curriculum seemed right for her. After doing the learning in this new way for just a few days, she was so excited to "play" more that she wanted to do it on the weekends also. She has learned all her letters now and the sounds they make. We have only been doing it for a couple weeks or so and she had been working on those things all last year and didn't master them. So even kids with a more negative attitude about school or kids with learning disabilities can benefit much from this curriculum. I highly recommend it for kids that cannot seem to learn the basics in the normal workbook/chalkboard way.

After spending months with "How to teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons" and HOP "Hooked on Phonics" and various computer reading games I tried SSRW (sing, spell, read, and write) with my daughter. I can't emphasize how much better my daughter liked this program. I admit I thought it was expensive; but I can't emphasize how much stuff you get and how well rounded this program is. Did I mention we homeschool? That is definately important. I really want to do a great job teaching my daughter to read. To me, this is the most important thing I can do- teach her to read and most importantly to ENJOY reading. She got so frustrated with all the exceptionally boring material I mentioned above. The other reviewers mentioned all the stuff included, so I won't go to all that detail. I will say that we loved the cd music/songs. We know the songs so well we don't even need the music on the sing them loud and proud! I will also admit I learned phonics tricks that I had never heard before. Sue Dickson (creator) includes all the tricks we need to know to learn to read...and she did it rhyming to music in song form. "When two vowels get together they play a little game; the first one speaks and says it's letter name"...from my memory of course. There are so many great things about this program.

For criticism---It didn't spell out which book to start with; so I made my best guess and we did First Grade first. Which we did easily. Then when I was on the second book for First Grade it was getting hard for my daughter to get through all the material in the amount of days they said we could get it done in. So, I started reviewing everything again and then realized that I had completely skipped Kindergarten. So, then when I switched to those books I had to regress a bit.

Also, my daughter has a few letters that she struggles writing; for example the lower case "a". I wish there was some more options for reviewing the letters. Once you move on to the next letter in the alphabet, you don't review until you get to the next book in the series.

Well, those are really minor issues. There is a great video that walks you through the system. But, it went over the First Grade curriculum; which is why I thought I was suppose to start there. The video was good, but it should have said which books were which and marked them more clearly for people like me with a Masters Degree and sometimes a embarrassing lack of common sense!! Maybe this doesn't happen to most people; but it should be idiot proof! (for me!)

I highly, highly recommend. My daughter was 5 y.o. for this program. She will probably finish up after turning 6. Most importantly is that she likes this program. She loves the variety and music and cutting and glueing, and , and.....you get the idea!

Storky is a fun book written from Michael "Storky" Pomerantz's point of view in diary form. It was fun to follow the daily happenings of this freshman boy. He starts out with a journal on the computer and then figures out someone may be reading his personal thoughts, so decides to just type the pages and print them out, but not save them.

Storky's sister reveals some of his inner most thoughts, showing that she was the one reading the journal. Being of nerd fame, all Michael wants to do is get through his freshman year of high school without being noticed too much.

Storky tries very hard to be accepted by his father, who lives outside the home--and tries to accept his mother's antics and deal with the mixed-up, crazy Jewish family traditions all while trying to maintain a semi normal life. Every day is a new adventure for Storky, right up until the end when his mother meets and marries his dentist. All through the dating process, he wants to hate Dr. Berman but finds he can't hate a man who has befriended him in the only way he knows how. Michael ends the school year planning another person's life and gets the girl, not the one of his dreams or that he thought he would get--but someone better.

Armchair Interviews says: Most of us can relate to that freshmen year in high school. Nice story from boy's point of view--written by D.L. (Debra).

Written in the journal-entry style a' la Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, this book will make anyone who has ever been a high school freshman laugh every few pages. The diary follows the first year in high school for Michael "Storky" Pomerantz, as he tries to lose his nickname, get a girlfriend, and learn about making the right choices in life. Unfortunately he is not only saddled with a useless divorced Dad in the throes of a mid-life crisis, but other calamitous events in the life of a 14-year old: the uncontrollable male body part he nicknames "Rex" (who causes embarrassing things to happen while he is trying to impress girls at the blackboard with his Spanish skills), a mom who begins dating (gasp!) the pudgy family dentist, a friend who introduces him to alcohol, and Michael's own age-appropriate musings and wonderings about sex. First-time author Deborah Garfinkle (note that the publisher uses the "J.K. Rowling-don't-let-the boys-know-it-was-written-by-a-woman" name change), gets right into the head of a smart, sarcastic and sensitive young teen with great skill. The character of Michael is unmistakably Jewish and living a very middle-class, 3-times a year, Reform Jewish existence in San Diego. Librarians: beware of the maturity of the themes, but know there are many young high-schoolers who will be passing this hilarious book from hand to hand and waiting most impatiently for the certain sequel.
Reviewed by Lisa Silverman.

This book not only "swooshed" me back in time to my own high school days, but it also brought memories of my children's high drama of high school. How little reactions (both mental and physical) have changed since then ... and I confess, that was a looooooong time ago.

Although Storky's a male, and I'm a female, this author brought not only Storky's feelings but the feelings of all the characters into this story ... in funny and pathetic ways of which we can all relate.

And, YES, like most teen boys from time immemorial, there's the inevitable Miss Popular for Storky to lust after, an insensitive father ... and the other high school problems that will trigger the memories of all who read this well-written book. This is a page-turner for teens and for their parents and grandparents, also. I could see the "comic tragedy" of teens shining through the pages AND, in hind-sight, the healthy learning experiences for Storky and the realistic characters in this book.

I recommend this book for ALL AGES. It was a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane for me. A great job, Debra Garfinkle! Keep 'em coming; you have found your niche.

Now I am Over 13, but Didnt Want An Account So Don't Get The Wrong Idea

Now Mike Pomerantz aka Storky is a freshman in highschool and is going through some normal teenage things.

I thought this was a well written book for a female women, but unless you have some real bad hormone problems most guys arnt like that(or that much of a pervert) So If Your A Girl And You Have Read This Book DO NOT THINK THAT EVERY GUY THINKS LIKE THAT.

This book was a highly entertaining book and slightly disturbing on my part but yeah...Well I would Highly Recomend This Book To People :)

A lot of people have talked about how this book about a GUY was written by a GIRL (or, rather, a woman). Yeah, she did it. Very convincing. But the real story is that really that she wrote a funny, touching, believable story about a character I wish I knew. Good show!

In Straight, Francis gives us another of his honorable and vulnerable heroes who find themselves in trouble through no fault of their own. True, part of Derek Franklin's problems stems from not getting to know his much older brother, Greville, but the rest of his problems just seem to happen. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is never in one's favor.

Derek is a successful jockey whose ankle is broken in a fall in a race. Just after he learns that his brother has been killed in a freak accident. Now, Greville was a gemologist who tended to be more than a little paranoid. He loved gadgets and puzzles and lives in a house outfitted like a fortress. Unfortunately, the strength of the house does not prevent Derek from being pummeled and otherwise abused nearly to the point of death. The worst thing is that he doesn't know why. This is a story of many mysteries most of which have nothing to do with one another. True to form, though, the villain once identified, proves to have no compunctions about doing whatever it takes to get what he/she wants and for self protection. Or is that villains?

As the story unfolds, the reader finds out as much about the deceased Greville as Derek, his brother and sole heir. (There are two sisters who live abroad.) It's difficult not to care about both and to feel the regret about not getting to know someone before it's too late.

Straight is a typical Francis novel in that it's a fast read, one cares about the protagonist, and pretty much despises the antagonist. Few surprises when it comes to it, but one of Francis's good ones.

I hve been reading Dick Francis books for at least 15 years. My father introduced me to them. When I go on vacation this summer, some of them will accompany me. "Straight" will be one of them.

Greville and Clarissa had concealed their love affair for three years.

Greville was a middleman, who had traveled the world to search out reliable sources of semiprecious gemstones. The successful London company he founded would have the stones cut in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, or elsewhere, then distribute the gems in quantity to creative designers and producers of fashionable jewelry. Greville also owned racehorses, starting when someone had given him one in settlement of a debt.

Clarissa was the attractive wife of an older British lord, who had pursued her. Greville became Clarissa's first love, as she became his. When he was not on a trip, and she could come to London, they would meet. When apart, which was most days, they had agreed to pause at a set time of day to think of each other, knowing that each was doing the same.

A sudden accident ended all this. Greville had been walking down the High Street next to a construction site, when collapsing scaffolding from high up, struck him, sending him to the hospital, where he never regained consciousness and soon died.

Here are Dick Francis's very first words of the story: "I inherited my brother's life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother's life, and it nearly killed me."

The speaker is Greville's brother Derek, younger by nineteen years. Too tall for flat racing, Derek is a steeplechase jockey, which is especially dangerous because of the jumping. In the story he is, in fact, on crutches recovering from a broken left ankle injured in a race.

Derek's racing world and Greville's business world collide throughout the book. Derek must pick up the complex gemstone business traces, while undergoing continuing pressure from racing owners and trainers to hurry up and heal.

The company employees tell Derek that Greville did not deal in diamonds. In going to the bank, Derek discovers otherwise. The manager tells him that three months earlier the bank had loaned Greville a million and a half U.S. dollars, specifically to expand into diamonds, and would soon be looking to Derek to start repayment.

Where are the diamonds? Stolen? Who are the customers who wanted them? Greville's company business and his house are broken into. Derek is assaulted and shot at. The action is nonstop. The book is a fascinating, literate page-turner.

Note: Probably all of us readers like to notice where a book's title appears in the text, and to see the meaning in context. I frankly lost count after more than a dozen instances, many of them different -- from Intensive Care Unit monitor lines going flat, to straight thinking versus labyrinthine, to honest test reporting versus shadiness, just to name a few. And a big one near the end of the book, which I wouldn't want to reveal here. Your reading will have to decide which of the many applies most strongly. Or perhaps they all do?

This has to be one of my all time favorite Dick Francis novels. It has everything a mystery should have in it - murder, missing jewels, mayhem... In my opinion, it's going to be difficult for Francis to top this one, but I can't wait while he keeps trying!

Straight takes the reader behind the scenes of the jewel trade and it's not an industry that's always on the up and up. Derek Franklin has been on a roller coaster ride of late as his steeplechase jockey career is nearing the end with him sustaining yet another injury. During his forced leave to heal, Derek finds out that his older brother, Greville, has been attacked and is on his deathbed. After his brother succumbs to his injuries, Derek is told that he has inherited his brother's business. Too late to protect himself, Derek realizes that his brother was a target and Derek suspects it has something to do with a fortune in missing diamonds.

This isn't a direct "who dun it" but also has a few subplots that are enjoyable in their own right. When Derek is summoned to his dying brother's hospital bed, the interaction (or lack there of) made me very thankful for the close relationship I have with my brothers and sisters. This thankfulness was reinforced throughout the story, as Derek learns more about his older brother and begins to understand him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Derek is sure that a clue is hidden in his brother's computer, but he is unable to access the correct password. Greville's secretary comes to the rescue. After hearing the clues left by Greville, followed by a brief mind struggle, she comes up with the correct code word and up pops a message on the computer screen congratulating her and promising her a raise. Now that's the kind of boss I want - he sounds fun!

The only negative some may have with this book is that it is a detour for Dick Francis. As most of his books revolve around horseracing, his devoted fans have come to expect that background. In Straight the only reference to horseracing is the fact that Derek is an injured jockey.

Want to read a mystery that will have you guessing until the end? If so, then this is the book for you to read next! It's very enjoyable and will have you wondering until the very end.

A reader knows what they are getting with a Dick Francis book. The mystery will be well plotted, the hero (usually a jockey or former jockey) will bravely face whatever trials that face him overcoming his troubled past and/or secret sorrow and the action will center around the some part of the racing world. Every once in awhile though a surprise pops up, this time the jockey is thrust into the totally alien world of gems.

Jockey Derek Franklin has been sidelined by a broken ankle, shortly after his brother Grenville is murdered. As Derek tries to settle the estate he finds himself drawn more and more into his brother's world of finance, gems and quirky little gadgets. Gradually he begins to sort out the mysteries surrounding Grenville's life and death but soon discovers that there are others who are determined to keep him from the answers. In the end, of course all is revealed.

This is a well plotted and clever mystery. The clues are all there for the reader to follow. The characters are well written, and draw the reader into the story.

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed this book, "Teacher Under Construction". I am seeking my first teaching position right now and this book was a huge help in my preparation. This book will be a great reference resource for me.

This is an AWESOME overview of teaching in a junior high! Spend 2 days reading this, and you'll save yourself 5 years worth of trial-and-(lots of) error!

NOTE: Review written by Jim T., (K-12 instructor), Orange County CA. I used Donna's status.

I taught 7th grade for the first time last year as a veteran high school teacher and learned by trial and error some of the things discussed in this book. While experience is the best teacher, it was great to read it from someone who really knows what they are doing. A Must.

NOTE: I am submitting this as a copy of the review from AvanteGuard Teacher's website, since it is what I might say.

TOP PICK: If I'd had Teacher Under Construction, a book written specifically for middle-school teachers, I suspect I would have gotten more sleep, fewer headaches, and organized my time more effectively. This book is a must-have gem for the new or initially-licensed middle-school teacher. Your pedagogy classes don't cover this stuff, and it seems that too few resources are dedicated to the squirrelly (but infinitely fun) middle schooler. (TOP FIVE AvantGarde Teacher Review)

Dr. Parks' book "Teacher Under Construction" is great! I am currently in college now to major in mid-level social studies and English. This little book really opened my eyes to the things I should prepare for. I am quite nervous about teaching but now I am more confident. Thank you for writing this, Dr. Parks! Tessa Suzanne White

This is an easy to read and understand book. It has many great tips for me to use at home with my child and in the classroom. I love it! I have already recommended this book to a friend/fellow teacher who has a child with this condition also.

Chris Zeigler Dendy understands ADHD/ADD to a significant degree and she does an exemplary job in providing a useful and valuable resource. Every teacher must have this one, too (along with her other books).

This book is a must for parents of ADHD children and the teachers who teach them. As a parent and a teacher, this book is a valuable resource.
Chris Dendy is a great person as well.

As a guidance counselor, I am always interested in obtaining good resources to use and share with others. I have recommended this book to parents and teachers. It has a wealth of information about ADHD teens.

I am an educator who works one-on-one kids with ADD and I recommend Chris' books to all my clients - I really am a really a big fan! She has even inspired me to start writing my own book on how achieve Academic Success with an ADD child.
I read all the recommended books on ADD and I have yet to find anything as comprehensive, useful and well-written as Chris Dendy's books. Once you start, you can't put this book down!

PS- you will want to read this book cover to cover - don't let the title fool you! ("reference guide")

My grandmother and I were recently discussing how she would read to all her grandchildren the "Thingumajig" books and how we all loved them. I am now 29 years old and still remember how vivid and wonderful they were. I just purchased them for my god sons, I hope they love them as much as I have.

Great book teaching children about manners and right from wrong. I loved this book as a child myself and know my son can enjoy it!

I love this book. I read it to my second graders on the first day of school each year as we discuss classroom rules. Throughout the year if someone is using bad manners I will hear another student say, "Don't be a Thingumajig!"
I also leave this book on my whiteboard tray and it is one of the favorites during free reading time.

This book was written and illustrated by my grandparents. They were some of the kindest people I have ever known. And the books are absolutely wonderful! You won't be disappointed with this book or any of their books.

I had this book (in a bigger version) when my 27 year old son was small. I was thrilled to find it for my grand-daughter who enjoys it as much as my son did. Manners are a hard concept for children but this book simply nails the importance of manners by showing children what not to do. It is engaging and my 3 year old grand-daughter has already learnt the rythems and can quote the book.

TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS
TINA FERRARO

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Nicolette `Nic' Antonovich was dumped two days before the prom. But to her, that's all in the past, except for the fact that her unworn prom dress hangs behind her bedroom door and she might still, on occasion, slip it on. It is the perfect prom dress after all.

But things are starting to change. Rascal, who was the dumper to her dumpee, is suddenly starting to pay her an awful lot of attention. Her best friend doesn't want to hear another word about Rascal, let alone that Nic might be starting to fall for him all over again. Jared, her best friend's brother, is turning weird big brother on her. And even weirder, it almost looks like Rascal and Jared are fighting - over her!

Nic's a great character, a typical teenage girl who finds herself caught between two guys, her dream guy in Rascal and her friend Jared, whose behavior she just can't figure out lately. This book was a definite page turner, with several great scenes that stick in your mind once you close the cover.

TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS is Tina Ferraro's first young adult novel.

Reviewed by Lisa
YA Director
Enchanting Reviews

Nicolette, a savvy, likable, down-to-earth sophomore, was asked to the prom by Rascal, the hottest boy in the junior class, which is something the reader wonders about for the whole book. Why would an upperclassman hottie scope out a lowly sophomore. That bit of information is disclosed in the end, and anyone who is or was a teen will recognize this typical teen behavior. In the meantime, Nic purchased the perfect pink vintage dress, and two days before the event, she was dis-invited because Rascal's old girlfriend moved back to town. Nic doesn't take it too hard; Rascal's explanation is plausible, and besides, she still has a mad crush on him. She hangs her dress on the back of her bedroom door and tries it on from time to time. Her mother suggests that Nic post a list to the refrigerator door to help work out her frustrations [Use #6: Use the beautiful pink material as a shroud after you die from complete and utter humiliation]. Narrated by Nicolette, this story is warm, funny, sparky and realistic. The main characters are simply captivating. Like having a second dessert, this is a girl/boy page-turner with a heaping of romance just the way we like it. You'll immediately recommend to your friends!

What a great cover!! ...and the perfect color to describe this sweet book!Prom Dress does not disappoint YA readers of any age. I would recommend it to many who would like a quick, delightful YA read. The strong writing and moral character of the book will please moms (it's not preachy, but Nic is definitely a good girl), while the cute story and modern language will keep the younger ladies' attention. Looking forward to How to Hook a Hottie.

There is something to say about a to-die-for pink prom dress and Tina Ferraro tells it perfectly in Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress. Ferraro spins a story filled with laughter and tears as we follow the lengths one teen will go to keep her normal life from falling apart. This novel is any girl's guide to best friends, hot guys, and one fabulous prom dress!

Tina Ferraro's TOP TEN USES FOR AN UNWORN PROM DRESS tells of Nicolette, dumped two days before prom by the hottest boy at school. But getting past the disappointment of no prom and an unworn dress brings Nicolette to more troubles: a best friend's problem brother, their changing friendship, thwarted romance, and challenges at home. The result's a fine, realistic story perfect for teen leisure readers.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants a true grasp of the power that drug cartels wield on the national and even international arena.

When one reads this book, it is like dropping into the hole of Alice in Wonderland, or falling into one of Carlos Castenada's peyote trances never to come out again. One arrives unprepared at a station in a new dimension of human existence. It is an odyssey "across," "within," "through" and ""around" the world of where drugs, and the drug Kingpins that traffic them, meet with our non-existent "shadow government."

Both are overlapping "nether worlds" that we are told do not exist, but exist they do: as partners in crimes at some place well above our heads. Not only do they exist, but if one can believe the expanded paradigm of the U.S. government put forth by Berkeley Professor, Peter Dale Scott, the drug cartels and those agents and agencies of government that intersect with them -- which promote or passively allow them to ply their trade -- make up the "Sixth Estate" of our government (with the "Press", the mob and other organized crime cartels being the Fourth and the Fifth).

This book is a tale of such staggering proportions that were the facts not all in perfect alignment with the reality we see in the ghettoes where the drug trade is mostly plied, one would believe it to have been invented: made from whole cloth like a fairy tale. However, once the motive of money, unimaginable amounts of money, enters the picture, then our senses begin to tell us that this is not fiction, no fairy tale at all: but the outer limits of what can happen when greed and the pursuit of money are let loose, unbridled, unrestrained to seek its own logical path and endpoint.

As but two examples, during the 1970s, before the "real" drugs crisis with "crack cocaine" ever got off the ground, there was so much money in marijuana trafficking that the drug kingpins bought, all along the Atlantic coast, from New Jersey to Miami, all of the available multi-million dollar beachfront mansions they could find. The purpose of this vast investment: To use them as storage houses for transshipments of the vast amounts of marijuana: A whole class of U.S. property was used only as storage sheds for marijuana.

As another example, in order to support their defensive needs, the drug Kingpins, would "let" contracts for the development of new equipment needed to support their smuggling efforts. Things like new guns, radar equipment, night goggles, submarines, excavation equipment, poisons, etc. were procured through private contractors just as the military does with new weapon systems.

And as always, their biggest problem was never finding buyers for their product, but how to transport and launder staggering amounts of money, which with the advent of cocaine, weighed more than the drugs that were sold, and was much more difficult to conceal and dispose of. The sophistication with which large sums of money was laundered and otherwise invested in the normal economy, even in the days when this book was written, still are enough to amaze the best Phds in economics: setting up and "breaking out" bonding houses, issues stocks, setting up shell companies, etc., ad infinitum. During the 1980s, for instance, 85% of all Miami paper money tested positive for trances of cocaine.

Given that the amount of money involved is enough to destabilized even the largest governments in the world, it is easy to see why governments were able to rationalized being and staying involved in the drug trade: better to regulate and give order to it than to allow random criminals to destabilize the entire world.

This book tells the complete story of how a handful of drug cartels and renegade drug entrepreneurs, did almost that.

Five stars

This is the best book written so far on illegal drugs in America.I am surprised this book is out of print. It would make an ideal book to study in a college class. This book goes far beyond the simple minded mainstream media "reporting" and takes investigative journalism to a higher level. This book will chill you and amaze you in its thoroughness of how dangerous illegal drugs and their dealers are to our society.

Wow, this book should be required reading for an educated adult, this could be used as a university text. This book is hard hitting, realistic and well written about the illegal trade and alliances between Narco-trafficers and governments, whether willing or not. This book exposes the facades and uncovers startling and incredible truths about the impact of illegal drugs on America that the mainstream media just glosses over. I wish this book was still in print. There needs to be more investigative reporting like this to resurrect journalism.