Resources Books

Frank Asch is on my entering kindergartener's Summer Reading List and I (we) can certainly understand why. His stories are gentle and cute and wonderfully illustrated.

In Moongame, Bear learns how to play hide and seek. And when Little Bird goes home, he continues playing with the moon. At first, the moon finds him hiding in a hollow tree trunk. The moon then 'hides' behind a cloud, and when Bear cannot find him, he asks for Little Birds and the forest creatures help.

They look everywhere but cannot find the moon! Perplexed and a little sad, Bear suddenly thinks to say, "Okay, Moon, I give up. You win!". At which point, a breeze blows the clouds away and there is the moon. Hurray!

Five Stars. A lovely book for toddlers on up.

Of all Frank Asch's books, this is our four year old daughter's favorite. She responds very well to the humor of the situation and loves the idea of playing with the moon.

Back when we first started reading to our daughter as a baby, she was very impatient and wouldn't sit for long stories. We were limited to board books that were very short and direct. Frank Asch's titles helped us show her that sitting for a whole story was worthwhile. Now she'll sit for much longer titles, but the whole Moon Bear series are still favorite re-reads!

Little Bird teaches Bear how to play "hide and seek," complete with covering his eyes, counting to ten, and, most importantly, taking turns. Later, when Little Bird is not around, Bear asks the moon to play. When it's Bear's turn to count, the moon "hides" behind a cloud. But when Bear can't find the moon, he first enlists the help of Little Bird, then all of the animals in the forest to help search for the moon.

This delightful book teaches toddlers and preschoolers several important lessons. First, they learn the rules of hide and seek, a quintessential childhood game. They can count to ten along with Bear and practice taking turns. And they learn the importance of cooperation and asking for help when you need it. Many books for children attempt to teach such life lessons in heavy-handed ways, but this one maintains its gentle tone throughout.

Moonbear and Little Bird spend a day playing hide and seek. When Little Bird leaves, Moonbear doesn't want to stop, so he asks the Moon to play with him. In a quiet, great-for-right-before-bed book, kids can learn about playing with friends, playing on their own and cooperation. This is a gentle book and thoroughly enjoyable for my whole family.

This book tells the story of a young bear who learns to play hide-and-seek from his friend the bird. He spends all day taking turns hiding or counting to 10 before searching for his friend. At night he decides to play the same game with the moon. The natural world of the moon and the clouds astounds him. The animals of the forest come out and help. The book is charming, and a good short read before bed, with about 700 words.

Move Over Alice by Margo Hill sparkles with laughter! This hilarious depiction of life under a "micromanaging superviser" is mnd-boggling if you have ever worked under such conditions. But, for anyone who has found himself or herself in such a "rabbit hole", this is sure to put a BIG smile on your face, even in your sleep! Give us more, Margo!

As a teacher of many years, I found this book to be right on target in its description of the Big Brother control that has taken over our public school system - from principals that treat their teachers as knowing nothing, to superintendents that let it happen, to state and federal governments who let poeple with little or no education experience control the curriculumn and destinies of students throughout the nation. I think this should be required reading for all teacher education programs and for all those in government.

Wow...what a fun read! This hard to put down book will keep all who indulge in a great mood. It's a light-hearted story for all who are married, parents, dreamers and kids who are trapped in a grown-ups body.

Margo's view of life, work and people are wonderfully blend together with just the right amount of sarcasm and humor that makes you want more!

Well done...very well done!

A comical look at the sad state our schools are in-The Good, the bad, and the ugly of being inside the walls of an elementary school. Take a genuine and brilliant teacher, add a self serving and deceiving boss, throw in a few neurotic parents and their kids and presto- You have what really goes on in schools all over our nation. Does your boss take all the credit(&glory) for the great work you do? if so.. read the book. This story is for parents, teachers, bosses, and any breathing human being who is interested in the human side of reality. The best book I have read in many years!

This novel is one of the funniest books I have ever read. It is perfect for any demographic, everyone will find something to love in this hilarious account of the backstage actions of your local elementary school. The story is entertaining and very well written- you won't be able to put this book down!

As both an instructor of adult learners and one of the interviewees in the work (who faced many stereotypical situations growing up in New Jersey...there are Cherokees in New Jersey?!! Amazing!), I can say that a book like this should be mandatory in the school systems of America. Without it, teachers proliferate the same unintentional prejudices they have, and kids receive that and pass it on as adults.

The book was clearly laid out, with seemingly much thought into how the information could be displayed in an informative and easy to understand fashion. As an educator, I rely on such layouts to make classes easier to design, and I appreciate the work the authors did in making my job of teaching adults how to teach to diverse groups a little easier.

To Yvonne and Arlene... wado! (thanks in Cherokee)

Donada!

As a teacher concerned with intercultural realations, I was so excited to find a book that would finally tell the truth about Indians. They exist today and are involved in all kinds of things from Tai Chi to engineering. As a social studies teacher, I am relieved to finally have a book that gives an accurate picture of Indians with easy activities that I can use with any age. Although this book is a teaching guide, grades 4 - 8, it can be used with all ages and in a variety of subjects from sports to science to career exploration to current events. Not only does this book celebrate Indian culture, but it compares similiarities with other groups, finding the strength in all.

There are web sites, resources on books, films, curriculum units in the appendices and at the end of each chapter. All of the chapter titles are interesting and witty like "Where We Live" which includes a brief history of how Indians were moved about and map exercises on identifying where Indians live today. Another chapter is "Paying the Bills" which has photos and mini-biographies on Indians in a variety of professions and activities on tribal businesses. Students can learn what is offensive to Indian people and what problems confront them today in "The STruggle Continues." Art projects, writing projects and even games for the classroom are all in here! This is a fantastic book! Every classroom needs it!

I am a Cherokee New Yorker (Nuyagi Tsalagi) who volunteered for ten years working with the Native American Education Program for New York City as a member of the Parent's Committee. It was during this time that I met Yvonne Beamer and the other dedicated men and women who worked so hard to identify and help Native American children in the city. It was humbling to understand that every time we identified a new child for our program we found a damaged child, one who had been hurt by the mistaken stereotypes perpetuated in the larger population of the city. A large part of our struggle as an institution was to get appropriate information in the hands of teachers so they could be accurate and informative when they augmented their lessons with Native American materials. After too long, Yvonne and Arlene Hirschfelder have put together a book with many activities and resources for teachers grade 4-8 to use in their classrooms. The material is appropriate sociologically and pedagogically and fills a gaping void for teachers. It was always our experience that once we talked to teachers and showed them materials to use in their classrooms all their students become better, not simply the Native Americans in their midst. There is a deep hunger for accurate, relevant information about Native Americans in the youth of today. This book is a giant first step at feeding that hunger.

Native Americans Today is a sensitive comprehensive and imaginative education activity book that helps teachers and students dispel stereotypes and explore diverse realities of modern Native Americans. This book works nicely with multi-cultural studies and Native American studies for middleschoolers. Lessons are divided into 8 chapters/categories: Ground Rules, Where We Live, Growing Up, Growing Old, å Day In the Life, Communications, Arts (Walk In Beauty), Economics, and The Struggle Continues. Each lesson is carefully organized and clearly presented with grade level materials, time, objectives, activities, and enrichment/extensions plus reading and resources. The lessons on Native American terminology and stereotyping are particularly good. Field trips to the community and crafts and research projects flesh out the classroom discussion exercises. Students learn to define respect as well as racism. One of my favorite sections is the chapter on Indians in Careers/employment under Paying the Bills/Economics. There are 32 biographical sketches of Native American individuals and their employment along with black and white photos. Careers range from teaching/research, social work, casino poker dealer, computer instructor, and bank president to massage therapist, aeronautical engineer, repatriation director and osteopathic physician. The objective is that students will learn Native Americans are employed in many vocations and locations,become familiar with credentials required for certain careers, and use mapping skills. Another interesting lesson is Burial Ground Desecration and Repatriation. Students read "No Peace For Indian Burial Grounds" and discuss related issues. An energetic approach encompasses many ideas and stimulates the students. Also useful are the appendices on web sites, Native News Radio Stations, and other resources. As a teaching guide and multicultural studies resource, Native Americans Today is a rich resource, carefully and authentically created. But it is more than just effective. It is a clear labor of love.

Nancy Lorraine Reviewer

As a teacher concerned with intercultural realations, I was so excited to find a book that would finally tell the truth about Indians. They exist today and are involved in all kinds of things from Tai Chi to engineering. As a social studies teacher, I am relieved to finally have a book that gives an accurate picture of Indians with easy activities that I can use with any age. Although this book is a teaching guide, grades 4 - 8, it can be used with all ages and in a variety of subjects from sports to science to career exploration to current events. Not only does this book celebrate Indian culture, but it compares similiarities with other groups, finding the strength in all.

There are web sites, resources on books, films, curriculum units in the appendices and at the end of each chapter. All of the chapter titles are interesting and witty like "Where We Live" which includes a brief history of how Indians were moved about and map exercises on identifying where Indians live today. Another chapter is "Paying the Bills" which has photos and mini-biographies on Indians in a variety of professions and activities on tribal businesses. Students can learn what is offensive to Indian people and what problems confront them today in "The STruggle Continues." Art projects, writing projects and even games for the classroom are all in here! This is a fantastic book! Every classroom needs it!

I love this book; and for the price you pay compared to the other 5 star rated books, this is worth your money. It does not waste time and pages telling you things you already know; things like NCLB, and the OBVIOUS like "connecting with your students," or "how to write the perfect lesson plan." This is filled with ideas that you can take into your classroom and put into practice. This is not a "refresher" book like others who claim to be "good" first year teaching/reading materials.

This book has so many great ideas. I love the snippets of helpful tips, other resources and good ideas on the sides. I would recommend this book to all new teachers!!!

Since I am somewhat new to the teaching profession, I was looking for all of the resources I could get!! I came across this book, and I really like the way that it's set up. It is simply written, and broken up into organized bullets in each section!

There are chapters containing subjects such as: Countdown to the first day, the first day, the first month, the first year, the end of school. Within those sections, you have things like classroom procedures and rules, student helpers, lesson plans, substitutes, working with parents, learning centers, assessment, and everything else that you could imagine!

I loved the "helpers" on the sides of the pages! Seymour Books gives you resources for more reading!
Sir Chalott gives you webpages!
Uneeda Halt comes around to make sure that you do the most important things first!
Pierre Tutor directs you to the person you need to talk to when it comes to site-specific info, mentoring, and peer coaching!
Mia First encourages you to take time for yourself and to relax!!

At the very end, there are reproducible pages for behavior charts, progress reports, behavior bucks, and agenda chart icons! (reading together, art, music, library, drama, ABC's, etc) There are also helper chart icons so you can copy and laminate for class jobs! I have always loved scholastic books and I highly recommend this one for new classroom teachers grades K-4!
Diane (kindergarten teacher)

I have seen many books written for beginning teachers and this is the best for many reason, one is the site for addition information and various general guide and tips. There is no book to compare!

It was the exactly the book I was looking for with great info on where to find stuff for your classroom, classroom management tips and what information you need to file. If you need a book to guide you through the process of creating your very first classroom, this is the book!

Nine Keys is a very practical step-by-step process in how to implement successful, healthy small groups into the local church.

I am a small-groups person. I have been in one small group or another, often as a leader, almost continually, for the past 30 years. I believe small groups are just about the most important aspect of a church's life.

I have read many books on this, gone to many seminars. There is a lot of good material on this topic.

But in my present role as a church consultant, this is the book on small groups that I hand to pastors who are wanting to know how to grow a small group ministry or how to better equip their small group leaders.

Why? As George explains in this book, most church small groups do a good job of promoting nurture and fellowship, but most stop there. George believes an effective small group should perform three basic functions, not just nurture. In addition to nurture, he believes small groups should be effectively engaged in small-group-based evangelism (George says that in any given year, only one small group in four does any evangelism), and he thinks that small groups should constantly be training small group leaders through apprenticeship. I agree that a small group needs all three functions. And so I use this book as the entry point for someone who is new to these ideas about small group life.

After this introduction, I point churches to further training or more in-depth printed materials about various aspects of this approach to small groups, but in my opinion, there's not a better starting point than this one.

We have used this tool since it came out. I've found that this tool is best for easily organizing the 'how to' stuff of small group leadership. It does not cover the ministerial philosophy issues. A good book for that is 'Master Plan of Evangelism' by Robert Coleman.

As the title for this book says, it covers nine keys for effective small group leadership. Each key really has four or five sub points...so in reality it is nine times about five...or forty five keys if you will. But George has organized them into nine groups...or keys.

We've found that leaders who study this material are easier to work with and easier to build a vision with for a local church ministry. There are a lot of books on Small Group Leadership that will help you. This one is very practical. It's so well written you can use it even if all you do is read the paragraph headers. Everything is well explained and easy to find or follow.

So even for leaders who don't like to read or who you suspect will not read everything you ask them to read, this book still might get through to them. I recommend it as a curriculum text for a course in a local church/ministry for leading small groups.

Enjoy it!

The best two things about this book are: 1) it helps the small group leader coordinate with the pastor, and 2) it includes shepherding, building community, discipleship and evangelism as part of the small group experience. It is the best balanced book available today!

Carl George effectively communicates the essential basics. This book does a good job of highlighting the difference between being a facilitator of small group time and being a leader (someone who is a disciple-maker). I have used this book as the main text for training small group leaders. It provides great material for interactive discussion and presenting a wholistic picture of all that small groups can be.

I gave this book to my husband. He is a rangeland management major and he is in love with the book. I do not know anything about plants, but he seems to love it and find it extremely useful. Compare to the expensive "weeds of the west" this book is relatively cheap for the amount of plants it has.

As a Range Conservationist in WA State a great book for all range mgrs, range techs., however, I was surprised to see Thurber needlegrass taken out of the most recent issue.

This is a great reference book for North American Range plants. It includes a detailed description of each plant along with sketchs and a maps to show distribution. Grasses, forbs and shrubs are included. This book also closely follows the lists for university range plant identification team contests. An excellent reference or study book for North American plants.

This book contains 200 of the most common range plants in North America. Each entry contains a detailed illustration, range maps, scientific and common names, complete written description, growth habit, origin, livestock value, and medicinal uses of the plant. I found the illustrations to be the best I've ever seen, especially the detail included in the grass spikelets. This is an excellent reference for anyone trying to familiarize themselves with common range plants.

North American Range Plants is a great book for any beginer, taxonomy student, layman, and expert alike. It is easy for the novice, because it's not in a key format, which may disappoint some more serious plant collectors. It contains 200 of the most common, and important plants found in the United States, Canada and Mexico. I have had this book for sometime now, and it has become an invaluable resource in my studies at Texas A&M University, where I have come to know one of the co-authors, Stephan Hatch. He has an unparralled knowledge of plants and a dedication like no other to put forth a good product, so i know from experience that this book was written by folks who are the top in their field of study. Being from Texas, i have worked internships in the plains of central North Dakota and the desert "outback" of eastern Oregon and have found the book to most useful, oftentimes referring to it before trying to "key out" a plant in a more technical publication. It just doesn't get any better than this.

From advice on leaving a ministry to encouragement to those entering the ministry, this book provides helpful advice for the pastor. Even the layman who seeks involvement in the church will learn powerful lessons from this book. This book is a "must read" for every pastor or Christian worker.

As an experienced Minister, Warren Wiersbe shares the true significance of this greatest of all callings. The 30 "chats" are a must read for all who would seek to serve God.

This book is ideally suited for younger ministers or more experienced pastors who recognize their limits and their need for wisdom. I can hardly imagine any preacher, young or old, who would not benefit from reading this short book. Dr. Wiersbe gives us "down-to-earth" nuts and bolts type teaching here rather than the obscure ramblings so common in many handbooks and textbooks. While reading this book, I felt like I was "sitting down across a log" with a seasoned pastor, who gave me advice on everything from humor to finances to facing opposition. I kept my highlighter handy so I can refer back to this volume frequently. This is the type resource I NEED!

Wiersbe's book is a gem for the pastor and layperson. As mentioned in an earlier review, you will feel as if Wiersbe is right there beside you when reading the book. The conversational tone of the book makes it enjoyable to read.

Wiersbe also presents many excellent points, some of which are:

1. A sense of humor is necessary for the ministry.
2. Let books enrich your life and ministry.
3. The joy and fear of the Lord frees us from the fear of
people.
4. Our loyaly to the Lord is reflected in how we treat
others.
5. Do not fret about the future, for it belongs to God!
6. Do not let the devil get a stronghold in your life.
7. Our service should be based on obedience, not feelings.

All in all, an excellent and highly recommended read!

I was doing some research for a book project and found that this book by Wiersbe was often quoted. So, I picked up the book for myself and soon found out why it was so popular among pastors and lay leaders.

Weirsbe delivers a warm, easy-to-read primer on following God. The Christian life is really about sacrifice and service. Why are we here? For ourselves or to glorify our God?

Whether you're a pastor or a plumber, a songleader or a salesman, this is a great book to read if you're heart's desire is to be a servant of God.

I have been thoroughly enjoying Gails writing. She shares tradtional and modern use of a variety of herbs. She has a small section on making your own.
Her writing style keeps you interested and educated.

The cover to this book is also beautiful and represents the book well.

This is a fabulous book full of the wonders of our green allies. Herbal medicine, plant lore, poetry, ceremonies, delicious recipes, and a terrific index make this book a must for anyone interested in using wild plants. The section on medicinal trees is unique in my experience. The author's lovely spirit shines in every word and makes me wish I was a member of her family.

Are you kidding me? I can't believe this book is not on the best sellers list. Definitely a wonderful piece of art. You will have so much fun learning about herbs and their uses, that you will have to wonder why you haven't heard of this book before! Get the word out. The author deserves to be recognized.

As a novice to the world of medicinal herbs, I found this book to be an outstanding resource. The plant descriptions and directions for medicinal use are clear, concise and inspiring. But it is the call to the way of the Wise Woman and the stories interwoven which sang to my heart.

This book is a must for anyone wishing to gain extensive knowledge on many herb and plant uses. It's format is very easy to read as the herbs are alphabetized. The author, Gail Edwards, has obviously done her homework as she includes a rich historical background and suggestions on the uses of each herb. You will definitely improve your herb IQ if you read this terrific book. Enjoy!

I'd like very much this book, cause in there I can found my needs. This book very help my in my university where I can study more in my program, Hotel Management.

The text was used for a graduate level class in the MBA Program at Oklahoma City University. As such, it is easy to see that it is an important tool to aid in understanding management of people in the American work place.

I do however have one criticism. The text does not do a good job at distinguishing between managing and leading. In my opinion, they are two different titles for those who take the reigns of an organiation.

simple, down-to-earth, and realistic. what i liked most about this book is the management application summaries in each chapters. however, i do sometimes get the feel in several chapters that the treatment of the topics are more encyclopedic. the book cover and some graphics are mediocre.

I have read many books regarding organizational behavior, and this is by far the best! I work as a management consultant specializing in organizational behavior change in Japan, and this book gives me hundreds of useful ideas. Actually "The Essentials of Organizational Behavior" by Dr. Robbins is translated into Japanese language, which is also a great book. "Organizational Behavior", however, is even better. Japanese translation wanted!

I have been an intensive reader of Professor Robbins' books since I was a grad student. What I recommend most out of his books is this "Organizational Behavior". Its comprehensive, albeit detailed and reader-friendly contents (e.g., lists of WWW URLs in each chaper to facilitate readers' in-depth learning) has always inspired me. Now, as an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, I am fully convinced of the fact that my students always thank me for adopting this book as the text of my course. I hope every substantial reader will find the significant usefulness of this book, the essential text.

For anyone that has started a small business, a new venture or acted on a great idea knows that the process is an adventure. It can also be terrifying, humbling and risky. Thankfully we now have a book that helps us reconcile our desire for the adventure with the reality of the risk.

Parallel Peaks is a quick and entertaining read - perfect for that 2 1/2 hour plane ride. It's written in a clear, concise way that even an entrepreneur with little business savvy will be able to understand.

I have referred back to it many times during my first year in business and feel more educated and prepared with McQuaig's 8 keys to the summit. I highly recommend this book for anyone that is ready to start climbing toward their goal.

John McQuaig sat down for a well-deserved rest at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, "the roof of Africa," on the morning of January 31, 2005. After five days of climbing more than 19,000 feet, he had finally fulfilled one of his dreams. He celebrated his accomplishment with his fellow climbers, and then began to think about ... business. After all, running a business is a lot like climbing a mountain. McQuaig had found success in both venues. He could share his experience in both fields by outlining this analogy to others. Hence the inspiration for this book.

PARALLEL PEAKS is organized around eight keys, the common elements that McQuaig identifies as being crucial considerations for both endeavors. These include: creating a vision; doing a SWOT (strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats) analysis; assembling a supportive team; engaging the expertise of a knowledgeable guide; and making progress, one step at a time. Each chapter begins with inspirational quotes and b&w snow-capped photos, then launches into explanations and examples. The author could have taken a trite and flippant approach, using various metaphors and making endless analogies between launching a business and scaling a mountain. But thankfully, he doesn't choose that route. He bases his observations on his own solid achievements in various companies in the Northwest and in summiting various mountains around the world. To that advice he adds real-life examples as well as best practices and research done by other notable business authors (Jim Horan, Michael Gerber). The result is a volume that is slim but hardly superficial. Above all, the text is easy to read, and the process as a whole makes perfect sense.

PARALLEL PEAKS is highly recommended for anyone who has entrepreneurial or high altitude aspirations. Even a small-business owner, a middle manager, or someone embarking on a large project will find helpful and logical suggestions here. McQuaig makes it even easier by including several summary pages at the end, complete with simple questions to answer. The only ingredients missing are you and your dreams / goals.

Over the years I have probably read a couple of dozen "how to" management books by a wide range of authors, and thisis one of the best I have read.
Two reasons why it is good: first of all, it is short...which means it is not verbose, but in fact is quite tight and well edited (and well written). Second, it is based on the author's personal "been there, done that" experience. A lot better than some academic theorizing.

Parallel Peaks was the most engaging business book I have read for a very long time! John McQuaig has combined his impressive mountaineering experiences and his enviable business success, to create an exciting and insightful read. Though I certainly never aspire to dangle over a seemingly bottomless crevass, I feel confident I can be a stronger leader and business manager by applying his 8 keys to success.

I strongly recommend having a warm blanket to wrap yourself while reading Parallel Peaks - John's great talent for storytelling will leave your teeth chattering, as if you too, have reached the snowy mountain summit!

John D. McQuaig, business consultant and mountaineer, draws for the reader a set of parallels between his two pursuits. He tells us that all the vision, planning and focus that go into a successful climb are likewise the keys to building a successful business.

While there are many books on business ownership, I have never read one that so happily blended business with action and adventure. Parallel Peaks: Business Insights While Climbing the World's Highest Mountains is short (116 pages) and highly readable, and makes a good starting point for anyone planning a business venture--or wanting to reclaim the joy and enthusiasm of a pursuit gone stale.

McQuaig's eight keys to success are enumerated elsewhere so I won't list them here. All of them, however, are well within the control of a committed entrepreneur. Even his eighth key, luck, can be managed to a certain extent: prepare to capitalize on good luck and mitigate the bad effects when circumstances go awry.

The linkage between climbing and business came to McQuaig at the summit of Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro. Throughout the book he entertains with stories from this and other climbs, and there are numerous highly apt examples and anecdotes. It may be "business lite," but on the other hand "fourteeners" (mountains exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation) are risky to life and limb, so a climber's technique has to be sound if he's going to come back to his desk and write about it.

John D McQuaig, like Douglas Adams, delightfully exploits "the fundamental interconnectedness of all things." (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency)

Thanks to J. Kaye Oldner, on whose Book Blog I won this book. I recommend it to you as a quick and inspiring read.

Linda Bulger, 2008