Education Books

This book has a wonderful message about being yourself. My four-year-old daughter loves the illustrations and asks for this to be read to her often.

Ruby is a new girl in a new class. She is afraid to be herself. She finds a girl and little by little starts dressing like her and supposedly doing the same things as she does. This other girl is Angela, who gets very upset with Ruby and tells Mrs. Hart the teacher.

Ruby is a little girl who is nervous and insecure about herself. She is afraid she will not be accepted or liked if she is who she really is.

I have mixed feelings regarding this book. On the one hand the book is funny and deals with a real life problem of kindergarden and primary school children ("he is a copycat" is a regular accusation at my house). However, reading this story after reading Peggy Rathmann's three other books: "Gorilla", "Officer Buckle and Gloria" and "Ten minutes till bedtime" is a little disappointing. The three books mentioned are totally hilarious and I feel they are all unique and special works of art. This book however, although very good, does not come to their masterpiece level.
"Ruby the Copycat" is written with a neutral voice without "taking sides" - just telling the story as it is. Reader can understand both Ruby, the copycat, and in a way even understand why she is copying (Ruby is the new kid and Angela's ribbon is so very charming) but also see the point of view of those being copied - as Angela, whose every act (red ribbon in hair, rainbow painted shirt) is copied by Ruby. At first this is nice and Angela whispers back at Ruby "I like your ribbon" - but after a while Angela does not whisper any more... Ruby is stripping her of all individuality. These are an adult words but the book is written in a language every child can understand and the pictures are there to strengthen the words. Ruby wins the readers heart in the end when following the teacher's advice (don't we all wish for such teachers) finds her own unique "thing" and now the children copy Ruby's "hopping".

We read Ruby the Copycat in my second-grade classroom, and the kids really gravitated toward it. The illustrations are appropriately stylized to clearly deliver character emotions, and there are subtle details in the pictures that breathe more life into the characters. Ruby reminds me of the nervous child in all of us that seeks to fit in. I highly, highly recommend this book for in-class reading. Buy a class set!

Ruby, in this delightful story, starts school new and finds an iconographic fascination with a girl who does everything easily and beautifully, Angela. Angela for lack of a better way to explain this is simple sugar and spice and cheer squad and Peggy Lipton all rolled into one dynamite girl. Miss Hart, the teacher, in time observes Ruby as each day she escalates levels of imitation and pure fixation on Angela,from wearing an identical red bow as Angela has on when she comes back to class after returning from home lunch, to bending the truth to say she was "also a flower girl in her sister's wedding"(oh no, teacher silently realizes real lying is starting) to painting a rainbow on her clothes to make her outfit match Angela after another lunch break home. Ruby even, when absolutely rejected in a very strong and rather cruel manner by Angela who is clearly yucked out by this sad little gadfly sycophant, tries to reattach the need to just be someone else (and thus matter) Ruby even stoops to imitation of Miss Hart's nails. Now that's pretty complex stuff for kids.I'd say heavy, wouldn't you? If you read it to a class they will be glued to their spots as if in a trance. This, they get. The problem is resolved in a manner I call SIDEWAYS resolving. It isn't as if Angela suddenly in epiphany sees Ruby as her equal, learns her true worth and harmony results. In a classic distraction the teacher finds a way to generate a Ruby based skill, make it fun and the class enjoys her for herself. How the next day went is unaddressed. In my teaching life as a classroom leader it is likely the teacher would mediate the social interaction for a good long while to build the skills for Ruby, the confidences and to open up Angela to understanding she may indeed write nice poetry, wear her clothes well, speak with ease and have power but she's a long way from having the kind of fragile willingness to be vulnerable and reveal inner insecurities and present that mirror up to Angela. Ruby is , in my teacher lingo-a child that tells us by her doing well or not the barometer for our class's social/emotional health.WE ARE ALL RUBY , I'm afraid. If we learn the lesson of this book, being a copycat is insignificant really, what we are addressing is how we perceive others, our selves, our talents and worth in relationship to others, acceptance, grace, vulnerability these constructs ride at the heart of this wonderful book. Peggy Rathman who went on to win awards on her next book, Officer Buckle and Gloria, surely did a great job here. And if you read her first, Bootsie Barker Bites, written with Barbara Bottner you have quite a triple play. I'm going to share a tip. This book, as well as Bootsie Barker was made into a VCR by Shelly Duvall in a series called "Bedtime Stories" , I think now sadly just available used. This series was just about the best I ever saw for children after Reading Rainbow. This particular story was narrated by Shelley Long (from Cheers) with a great guitar riff in background and is just such a treat for children. It is a Great way to hear Ruby the Copycat. Incidentally if you want the best straight up copycat story out there read Ramona the Brave. You'll love it too.

Excellent first book after you have received the diagnosis on your child. Good overview. After absorbing this information, you will want to move on to books that deal with the specific type of epilepsy with which your child has been diagnosed.

After hours of internet searching and bookstore browsing with not a whole lot of usable results, finding this book was great. It is clearly written, easy to understand, and covers all of the different causes for seizures, as well as medications and some discussion of the physiology of seizures. I am ordering another copy for my daughter's preschool teachers, who want to be as educated as they can be so that they are prepared for potential seizures at school.

When my 13 year old son had his first seizure, I completely freaked out. When he had a second seizure, I completely lost it and became full of anxiety, fear, and anger. But after reading this book, I found great comfort knowing that all the emotions I had were "normal". The book is also easy to understand, and covers a lot of information which has helped me to become more informed regarding seizures and epilepsy.

I can't begin to describe the grief and fear and utter isolation I felt when my daughter had her second seizure. I remembered that knowledge is power, and I needed to feel powerful. This book gave that to me and so much more! Suddenly terms made sense and I wasn't alone anymore. The section on family coping is amazing: it's as though the authors have reached inside your mind and put down every emotion you've gone through and some that are yet to come. There are case examples throughout that are uplifting, and yes, sometimes a little frightening, but very helpful to read and very enlightening. Most importantly, the book is positive throughout without minimizing what you're dealing with. My only complaint(and this goes for all books, websites, etc) is the use of percentages to illustrate how uncommon different seizure types are, or how many kids outgrow, etc. We already know our kids beat the odds, we don't need to be reminded, and frankly those numbers that in the beginning were a comfort, now are depressing. Again, if a child in your family has seizures, YOU MUST HAVE THIS BOOK!!!

This book contains the answers to most, if not all, of your questions regarding how seizures and epilepsy will affect your child and family. It will also help you know which questions to ask your child's physicians. It is a most complete work. In five sections it describes why seizures occur, diagnosing, treating, coping, and living with epilepsy. Please do yourself a great favor and purchase this book. It is written in language a parent will understand without previous medical knowledge and also it is written with compassion and optimism. I have recommended this book to my family and friends who wish to understand more of how epilepsy is affecting my son's life. You won't be disappointed, buy it today!

By: Cindy Phommasy


Samantha, Rebecca's best friend, just suggested they play a game called "Seven Minutes in Heaven", a truth or dare game were the girls ask the boy a question where they can either tell the truth or go in the closet and be in heaven. The problem is, Rebecca's not really sure she wants to play because its going to be her first kiss. The real problem is yet to come when the school principal tells them that they are going to learn how to dance the tango and all that stuff. Everybody in class doesn't want Rebecca as their partner because of the last dance, where Rebecca accidentally broke Scott's toe and was called "Killer Dancer". So is Rebecca brave enough to dance and be have romance at the same time?
I would rate this story 4 stars because it's just a story I enjoy to read with romance, and friendship. I can also relate this to my life and I'm sure it will relate to your life also.

This book I just read was so exciting! It's about a girl who is growing up and getting older and she decides to have a party. Well, at the party she wants to play some games. One of the girls at her party says, " Let's play spin the bottle". Another girl suggests that they play seven minutes in heaven. Well, the main character, Andrea, said she hadn't heard of any of those games. This was really a great read for me.

I thought the book was really fun to read. I found some things that I didn't already know. For example, I never knew what seven minutes in heaven was until I read this book. I thought some of the things in the book were too descriptive. When I was reading the book, I kept on thinking, "Why are these girls going to have a party?" "Do their parents know they are having a party?" Of course, my questions never really got answered. What I liked least about the main character is that she acted like she knew nothing. I really loved this book, and I think you will too!

Aw. I love love stories, especially when they're innocent. Some of the sentences feel a little too simple. At the same time, the author cleverly does not underestimate her readers' intelligent by not putting the obvious in sentences, if you know what I mean.

The only issue I have here is the use of word "jackass." But I've learned that it apparently is an acceptable word for middle school kids--having found it in three juvenile books in a week.

An awsome book about 7th graders. The whole breaking his toe thing is really funny!! it took me less than a day to read becuase I coundn't stop. I even was reading it in history class :) I have already given the book to my friend and she lovesd it too. I think that this would be a great book for book lovers (like me) to read.

Maybe its not as well known as Harry Potter, or War and Peace, or Romeo and Juliet. But its definitly as good! Seventh Grade Tango is about a girl, she has a best friend who is a boy and their class is forced to do ballroom dancing. She gets paired with...oops. I shouldnt say...just trust me though. READ IT!

This book is filled wth great ideas on giving children memorable experiences in Nature. I myself am a nature docent and I know from experience that if you try to lecture to children out in nature you just have a lot of kids not listening. If you give them an experience you will give them something that they will always refer back to for the rest of their life. I highly recommend the methods used in this book.

Before moving overseas, I practically lived outdoors with my two young children. We had easy access to nature parks and there were plenty of places to connect with nature on a regular basis. Now we live in a rural farming village and I homeschool. (So we are in the house the majority of the day.) Recently, my 2 1/2 year old screamed and was absolutely terrified of an ant that crawled on him. What a wake-up call! Walking down the country lane is NOT really a nature experience, for he appears to be afraid of insects. (I grew up with a continual collection, much to my parents' dismay. "You're a GIRL, for heaven's sake"...) My oldest two children LOVE to explore wildflowers, insects, and anything they find... so long as I deem it safe. I think this is because when they were younger we took the time to immerse ourselves in nature. I regret not doing this for my youngest, but have decided it is time to get out and get in touch with mother earth once again... this time for good. I grew up loving nature just because I spent most of my spare time IN nature exploring and observing the woods all on my own, or reading natural history books from the library. No one taught me, encouraged me, or took the time to do activities with me. Wow, that would have been a treat. Encourage kids who love nature and inspire others to get involved! Buy this book! Get outdoors! Wish others by this author were back in print.

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This is one of the best books that I ever bought when I was at college. The best part of this book is that it is simple and easy to use as a teaching tool. You can pull out one activity from this book and use it as a fun nature activity for children which is also educational.It gives children the chance to rediscocer the joy of playing in nature and it also encourges them to respect nature. It is truly amazing. It can be easily adapted to the climate that you are in. This book is truly a masterpiece.

From the author of FLOW learning comes the book "Sharing Nature with Children" and the sequel "Sharing Nature with Children II". These delightful books are a welcome tool in the bag of tricks for any outdoor education facilitator. Find out how the characters of the Otter, Crow, Bear and Dolphin help guide the mind's eye to the wonders of nature. Re-discover the joy of playing in the outdoors while helping the next generation to appreciate and respect nature. This book is more than a must have for any teacher, parent or naturalist. Don't miss out.

This book is THE original tool for connecting kids with nature.

Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you will find that this simple, small but comprehensive book will be the dog-eared book on the shelf or the coffee table...or the one that gets loaned out to friends the most. In every place I have taught environmental ed, I have seen activities from this book being used. In fact, so many enviro ed books have borrowed and adapted activities from this book that they have become classics.

The best part of this book is that it is a comprehensive teaching tool called "Flow Learning" that works like a cookbook. What I mean by this is that you can pull out just one 'recipe' for an activity, or combine several into the educational equivalent of a full four-course meal. Cornell's book is more than just a nature book, it is a system of four stages called 'Flow Learning', which very simply and effectively models how to facilitate connecting children (yes- even inner city children) with nature.

If you don't find this book extremely invaluable, I would probably offer to buy it back from you. After all, I can't seem to get back that last copy I loaned out...

This is a great book if you are new to home education. You have questions and people who know you probably have questions.

Read it chapter by chapter or use it as a resource to look up different questions by topic. Wonderful answers written clearly and concisely.

This book is well organized, fun to read, inspirational, and educational!
I recommend this book for anyone thinking about homeschooling or already homeschooling as it has so much good information inside!
Thank you, Ms. Davis!

Hello. When my husband and I decided to homeschool our 4 children (2 were of school age at the time) we received less than enthusiastic reactions. Most of the family opened with "I don't approve of that." or "I think that's just wrong." That was in Spring of 2005.

Recently, I found this fabulous book. How I wish I'd had it back when I made the announcement! Since reading the book myself, I have purchased the book for 4 family members. Our community is one of the best for homeschoolers, so there's more social opportunities than they had in public school. I've found that many of the questions in this book are things that people want to ask, but don't think of or know how to ask.

Today, most of the family still thinks we are wrong for our choice, but 1 has come around, my mom. However, occassionally I still get asked, "honey, wouldn't it be easier to send them to school?" The answer is "yes, but as parents it's our job to do what's right, not what's easy."

Buy this book, read it, share it. There are things you don't know, even if you've been homeschooling for a while. This isn't a heavy book, but a realistic collection of the most common questions about this amazing journey.

This is a great book to help give you great food for thought to answer the question the title asks, which happens all the time if you decide home-schooling is for you. Loved it!

I just finished reading this book and have to say it is very good. Although I already know "why" I chose to homeschool, she reaffirms the decision for me. She makes some excellent points, and she has the facts and statistics that back it up for those doubters out there.

I have collected and used books on sound system engineering for many years and this book has quickly become my favorite. Mine has been borrowed by other engineers so often that I have purchased a second copy. Don and Gene are among the most experienced in the field. They have also both tried to share thier knowledge with others throughout thier careers. This combination of knowledge and desire to share it has produced a book that explains complex ideas in a way that leaves the reader with few questions. It is clear and concise, and is supported by a great number of charts and diagrams. I can't imagine a better way to capture thier knowledge and share it with others. A great number of professionals are going to benefit from this book, and I expect it will be the industry standard for many years to come.

One of the better books in my collection, and I have many on acoustics and audio from the highly technical to hands-on.

I owned 1st version before and the 3rd revision is a more complete version and gives more information on digital processing aspect.

Sound System Engineering, 3rd Edition contains a wealth of information on the design, implementation and testing of sound reinforcement systems. Don Davis' section on audio and acoustic measurements is a must read for anyone serious about performing such tasks. The concepts he discusses about signal delay/synchronization and room acoustics will help the reader to understand what is at the very basis of these topics.

Similarly, Eugene Patronis' section on loudspeakers and arrays is not to be missed. It will have you going back again and again to find that piece of information you need about horns, direct radiators, crossovers and arrays. His presentation of signal processing starts with basic sampling and progresses through system theory and digital audio.

Two of the latter chapters on equalization and "putting it all together" are true gems. They yield practical information that you'll be using the next time you're faced with the issues covered.

Sound System Engineering, 3rd Edition takes all of the knowledge contained in the 2nd edition and augments it with up-to-date interface methods and advances in the field of audio and acoustics since its last publication. This text is equally suited for both the novice and the veteran audio practitioner. It is written in such a manner that each time you read a portion of it, something new will come to light.


Charlie Hughes
President
Excelsior Audio Design & Services

Congratulations to Don Davis and Eugene Patronis, Jr. for writing the most informative book on sound system engineering ever. The book contains all of the elements of theory, design and practical installation. The book is an excellent reference for the sound system engineer.

Sound System Engineering, Third Edition is the most complete technical book on sound system engineering I have ever read. It is a concentrated capsule of knowledge that gives the theory as well as instructions of how to implement the theory. Don has recorded for us how to do the installation process. Dr. Patronis has given us the physics back of the theory and he added the mathematics so one can reporduce the results. There are places that Doc uses the "It is intuitively obvious..." leap of knowledge that some might have trouble working through but it can be done.

Thank you for such a great work

Don Eger, Owner, Don Eger & Associates

I was a summer camp counselor for seven summers, and this guide was fantastic for those years. It is a staple reference at our camp for other counselors to read. A true reference from a distinguished psychologist and counselor given to other counselors. Thanks

This is a really helpful book for preparing for summer camp. Here's a tip I got from a friend: if you buy it through acabookstore.org (ACA = American Camping Association) then it comes with a DVD-CD set. My son, who's pretty anxious about going to camp, watched the DVD and that really helped turn his anxiety into excitement. The book and DVD give great tips on preparing (packing, etc.) for camp, but also gives great insight on how to approach the camp experience. Together they answered a lot of questions I didn't even know to ask. It's one of those things you can't afford not to get.

This book really covers what you need to know before you send your child to sleepaway camp. The part that was most helpful to me was the research the authors have done on homesickness. Before I got this book I was guessing about how to handle my daughter's homesickness, and I came up with one or two of their recommendations. But after I read this book I felt I understood how to handle this with my daughter and also what the camp and counselors can do to help. There's a great list of all the things you can do. And everything the authors said rings true with my experience.

It's well written, easy to follow, and has parts written just for kids to read. There's even a section to tell kids how to get the most out of camp - from general guidelines on how to treat others to good advice on how to deal with living with lots of kids in a small space.

Every parent, camper, counselor and camp director should read this book! Parents will have a more relaxing time while their kids are away, campers will know better what to expect and how to have the most fun, counselors will know better what to do, and camp directors will have fewer problems with kids AND parents.

The best thing about this book was that it was so helpful to both me and my daughter when it came time to start preparing for her first stay at summer camp. We relied on the suggested internet search engines in the book to find the camps and used the section on co-ed vs. single-sex camps to come to a conclusion that my daughter and I(!) were comfortable with. I've already spread the word about this book to all the parents I know that are thinking about sending their kids off to camp. Every parent will feel better once they've read the homesickness section.

I bought Chris Thurber's book on Friday, and watched him on NBC's Today Show this morning (June 9, 2003). Seeing him in person confirms what I thought: he is a camping expert with a wealth of helpful information for parents and kids alike. I feel so much better sending my son to camp knowing that Chris and Jon's research has helped us prepare in a way that will maximize the fun and minimize the homesickness at camp. Buying this book is a small investment in a positive experience whose benefits, I am sure, will last a lifetime. (I found the perfect camp for my son by visiting the American Camping Association's web page: acacamps.org.)

it covers every aspect of swimming in great depth, such as hydrodynamics, stroke techniques, nutrition, weight training, starts and turns and much more.

high recommended for all fitness and competitive swimmers.

I've readed a lot of books about swimming and I must declare that this one is probably the best.
It analise every aspect of this sport and supported by an impressionant bibliography it can separate facts from suppositions and errors.
This book has helped me to understand the deepest aspect of training and swim propulsion in the four strokes, and it can be well used in addiction with other manuals.
I'm emotionally waiting for Maglischo next work.

This is the best swimming book I have ever read. Everything a swimmer or coach needs: training principles, swimming technique, and mental aspects of the sport. It covers everything even how you should split your race. Lots of drills for every stroke.

This book has served me well as a coach for many years, and I have given it as a gift to several coaches and top swimmers. Whether or not you care to get lost in the endless debate over Bernoulli versus Newton, this book has much more to offer. I trained under Ernie Maglischo and this book has served as the marvelous manifestation of his patient and persistent work on deck. I recommend it without reservation.

I'm primarily a rower, so I can't speak about the swimming-specific sections of this book. But I can rave about the more generally applicable sections. I've used this book for several years to design training programs for various rowing events, from 500 meters (about 1.5-2 minutes) to 2,000 meters (about 7-8 minutes) to head races (20 minutes and longer). Maglischo's explanations of how to balance the levels of effort in a training program for sprint or endurance events is tremendously helpful, as are the explanations of how to periodize training programs and create daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly programs.

The only tiny criticism I have of this book is that I would find it slightly more useful if the swimming distances included approximate times for the events. That way, it would make transferring the principles to comparable events in different sports more straightforward.

I recommend this book to any coach or athlete of any racing sport. You'll find not only physiological issues addressed, but also issues concerning pacing and race strategy -- a must for anyone desiring an internal focus during racing.

Very easy to read in layman's terms. As the mother of a four year old with PDD, I would suggest this book as a great book to start off with if your child was diagnosed with autism or pdd. It touches on a lot of areas ABA, schooling etc. without getting to technical. It also has statements and examples made by adults with autism/pdd which I found very interesting.

Targeting Autism is an excellent book for those new to Autism. Families and teachers should especially appreciate the analysis and overview of the various educational interventions, from one-on-one methods, to group programs used in many preschool and school situations. The book lists many available resources and spotlights inspiring new advances in research creating an overall atmosphere of hope and possibility for the prospects of more universally effective treatments and eventual cure of this devastating developmental disorder.

Since the symptoms and manifestations of Autistic Spectrum Disorders vary in incidence and severity, those who read this book should not be unduly encouraged or discouraged by the often times conflicting reports of success and/or failure of the various treatments and interventions discussed, but rather use the information given to further investigate the possibilities of each treatment or intervention on an individual or case by case basis.

Why it should be so hard to find a book that thoughtfully discusses the myriad of autism treatments, I don't know. As a parent of a child diagnosed last year at age three, I appreciate this book.

Thank you Shirley Cohen for writing it. Thank you Amazon, for making it so easy to find.

I WORK WITH AUTSTIC KIDS SO I READ THIS BOOK TO UPDATE MYSELF.IT WAS GREAT IIT PROVIDE GREAT EXAMPLES FORM OTHER BOOKS. AND IT GAVE EVIDANCE THAT SOME OF THE CURES MIGHT WORK FORM SOME. ALSO IT PROVIDE GOOD INFO ON ASPEGERS YNDROME MOST OF THE BOOKS JUST GIVE IT A PPAARGPAPH.

First off, she defines autism in layman's terms and with first person testimonials.

Secondly, she provides a life cycle view of autism, so that you have SOME idea of what the future might hold for your child.

Third, she describes how families cope with autism, that some become driven, others fall apart, others adopt a "Holland" approach.

Then she discusses treatments, including a solid analysis of educational approaches such as Lovaas (leans positive), mainstreaming, TEACH, DAP, etc... and non-traditional approaches, such as AIT, FC, etc...

And she talks about recovery too, the controversy that very term raises. She closes this chapter with a quote that could have come straight out of my own heart: "A parent asked, What if my child remains autistic? What will we do? The best you can - with your love, your skills, and all the resources you can marshal - to help him achieve as independent and joyful a life as possible for him."

Perhaps I love this book because so much of what she writes does articulate what I have felt as I've gone over the different options for my son's interventions.

But also, her testimonials from a wide range of sources really help to illuminate autism as well.

And finally, her book is very REASONED in tone.

The only thing missing is a chapter that summarizes her thoughts about what she thinks parents should do. I mean really, most parents are reading these books for ADVICE! Even if parents eventually do something else, its always nice to have a plan laid out that you can either agree with or react against and develop your own. You won't find an action plan here, but the information provided should help you in making one of your own.

ray linn was, for me, the catalyst for a life long interest in philosophy and the ideas of postmodernism. i treasure this book as a reflection of him and his insights. as michael said, it's really more of linn's intellectual journey than it is a basic "key terms" guide (and it's a far better and more stimulating read because of it). that said, i have this little tome cracked open as i write a term paper on wittgenstein, so its definitely useful as a reference for some pretty complicated ideas. core baby for life.

Although, on the one hand, it is more one man's account of his intellectual life in Postmodernity than an actual account of Postmodernism; on the other, this book is useful in the sense that it familiarizes the reader with some key terms and ideas.
If you thought Russell's History of Philosophy was a good way to actually understand intellectual history, then this book is for you. If not then this book is useful as a starting guide at best.

As a former student of the ever brilliant Mr.Linn, I can attest to the fact that this is a great book. Any one who likes Postmodern philosophy will find this book very useful because it makes a complicated subject understandable and interesting.

Cleveland Rocks!!!

Well, it certainly seems as though quite a few CHS alums have come on to [...] to sing the praises of our old H.S. philosophy teacher. While he was a remarkable teacher, and the fact that he enabled H.S. seniors to actually understand postmodernism is truly remarkable, I think no greater praise can be offered to A Teacher's Instruction to Postmodernism than this:
As I sit here, a second year graduate student in philosophy, sweating over the intricacies of Wittgenstein's writing, it is this book that serves as my lifeline to understanding these theories. Yes, a book that was comprehensable as a 12th grade student, it serving as my most valuable resource.
Thanks Ray!

Never before have I read such magnificance in all my years as a college student. This has inspired me to further pursue my interests in the post-modern world. I trust that all educated scholars will appreciate this work filled with ideas concerning the existence of every individual. I ardently recommmend this book to anyone who has the time to contemplate over his or her post-modern existence.