Go Books

I loved this book and read it from front to back in one sitting. It is a great look inside the mind of a teenager. It takes you through all of her stuggles with unedited brutal honesty. It is easy to relate to her moments as a young woman growing up and her issues.

Jolene Siana's collection of letters and artwork sent to Ogre, from the band Skinny Puppy, is a moving chronicle of a girl's struggle to find place and meaning for herself at an age that is normally awkward at best. I found great beauty in this very human quest for self discovery and identity.

In his Basketball Diaries -- also a dark coming-of-age tale, no coincidence there -- Jim Carroll wrote, "I want to be pure." Jolene Siana, in a book that bravely lets light into the darkest corners of her tortured teenage years, offers readers just that -- a visceral, unblinking, honest look at her own struggle to be pure, to simply become. The letters and artwork that compile this book may have been therapeutic. They may have even helped the author survive. And bringing them together years later may have helped her yet again. But this isn't a self-indulgent book. It's a generous and open one. It's really Siana's readers -- anyone who feels lost, alone, and in need of connection; anyone searching for something pure in a world that's anything but -- who benefit here. This book is a gift.

what can i write about this book that hasn't already been said before? its great, and obviously a great deal of care was taken when this book was put together. recommended for cutters, ex-cutters, goths, punks, and any other "outsiders" in general.

I can't stop reading this book. I'm not much of a reader but Jolene is an awesome writer. I can relate to it in so many ways. I'm a huge fan of Ogre. I love Jolene's artwork and the part about making handcrafted envelopes for each letter. ^ _ ^

This book is beautifully written. The words on the page flow like musical notes. This book is a valuable addition to any home or school library and a great way to introduce children to the types of musical instruments. I love the way the book introduces the instruments one at a time and gives the vocabulary for the number of instruments in the orchestra each time a new instrument is added (solo, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, etc.). At the end of the book, the author shows how all of the instruments join together to create music "that we all adore."

Great picture book to use in the classroom from preschool through 4th grade. For 3rd through 4th graders, you could use this book as an engaging tool to discuss musical terms, context clues, alliteration, adjectives, prefixes.

This is my 4 y.o.'s favorite book. We had read it to her so many times that she has memorized it. She can name every instrument and tells me which ones she likes the best. A plus plus.

I purchased this for my Kindermusik class, and the only thing that would've made it better would've been a real violin. It is a charming book, and it wasn't too long even for 3 year olds.

My just-turned-3 year old likes this book, and so do I. It has deepened his curiousity about and enthusiasm for instruments and the music they make, and it has inspired him to play his miniature guitar both as a 'violin' and a 'cello' (though he knows he needs a bow!).

I like the illustrations very much, and the verse is also fun to read.

I was very happy that he liked the book so well--when the Amazon package arrived, he was hoping for a book about excavators--his other passion! I'm glad to say he was not at all disappointed, once he saw the pictures.

This book is one of my standard gifts to families with small children. It's a great way to introduce them to poetry, music, and art. It's a great vocabulary builder, too--I've read it to my 4th-6th grade choir and had to explain musical terms to them. Fun sounds and interesting pictures to explore!

Of the 3 dozen books I've read related to organizing, this is one of my favorites. It is presented in an easy-to-read format that makes it possible to spend a few minutes and read a chapter at a time. There were many great quotes and ideas that are easy to implement. The book also included fun anecdotes. Very well done!

I recently bought both this and Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity in order to stimulate my thinking about how to take charge of my incredibly busy job as a software development manager in an e-commerce company. I manage about 8 people directly and am also the prime facilitator for another project team of about 15 people, half of which are contractors. Like most people, I also have my own work projects and initiatives, as well as huge laundry list of personal items to keep up with.

At first I was a little turned off by the 55 super-short chapters, each of which is 1-2 pages in length and has a "What? So What? Now what?" layout. The writing quality seemed only average, and I was left thinking "Is that it?" after each chapter. However, after I finished the book rather quickly and then got bogged down in Getting Things Done, I realized that this is a pretty good layout for the target audience - people who feel too busy to read a book on productivity.

Many of the observations seem obvious, but that is one of the key messages of the book: we're all making this stuff away too complicated. How many of us take ten minutes each morning to set a focus and key priority list for the day? Or do we omit that simple step, or fall into the trap of checking email "just for a few minutes" first and then get seduced into following little shiny objects all day while missing the big picture?

The "Five Decisions" chapters - Discard, Delegate, Take Immediate Action, Put in a Reference File, and File for Follow-up - are important but I think are covered better in the other book. About half of the other chapters really resonated with me, which made it worthwhile overall. However, the author lost me when he spent 10 chapters describing a paper filing system with folders for each day of the month plus various other files. I agree that people shouldn't expect software and tools to solve all their problems, but I think a PDA or list software like Remember the Milk is much better than a paper system for anyone who works in multiple locations or is "on the go". I felt like he was being a bit techno-phobic, sort of like the guys who insist that LP records are better than CDs or MP3s.

Really the best way to improve your organization habits is to browse several books and articles on the topic, note the themes that recur (like planning time, grouping tasks by project or goal, etc.) and then choose a couple of things to focus on. I'd recommend this book as one of those resources but not the best-written or only one.

Chris Crouch's "Getting Organized: Improving Focus, Organization and Productivity" is a fine read which accomplishes what all good teachers do best: Imparting with vivid good humor and simplicity the wisdoms of processes taken beyond the classroom. The target audience here, primarily workers in any workplace, calls for a most delicate balancing act: Being thoughtful and succinctly explaining the theory, practice, and results of a disciplined approach to Organization. Mr. Crouch accomplishes this masterfully with anecdotes, explanations, and his "master teacher" persona.

You won't get rich from simply reading a "How to Get Rich" book and you won't get organized and productive from just reading any book - you have to take action and implement the ideas.

I have used the principles and ideas outlined in "Getting Organized" for several years and found them to be extremely valuable.

Becoming more organized and productive is not a matter of what type of filing system or PDA you use, it involves making a habit of organized and productive behavior.

This book provides concrete tools for forming those habits. Simply outstanding!

This is a very good book to help you get organized. I originally had a three star and changed it to a four star. So many of this book's best elements are also found in David Allen's Getting Things Done. I read Allen's book last year and it knocked my socks off. When I read this, I wasn't as impressed as I would have if I read Crouch's before Allen's (they're both obviously drawing some of the best tidbits from some of the same material that preceded them). They have many, many of the same very helpful tips. The advantage of Crouch's is that is has short digestible chapters. However, an overall approach does not clearly emerge, just a bunch of big and small organizing ideas. An advantage of Allen's is that you get a clear, overarching approach into which all those good tips suggested in these books fit. Allen's chapters are longer, and though very readable, can get a little bogged down compared to Crouch. If I had only one book to buy, I'd get Allen's. However, I'm glad I read Crouch's because it has given me a refresher.

Getting organized is a major issue for many of us (I work two jobs, both of which require me to maintain an office). While one book may do it for some, I strongly believe that major habit changes will more likely come if you really plunge into an area like this. That means reading Crouch's book, Allen's book, and even Julie Morganstern's Organizing from the Inside Out. While Allen and Crouch focus on the office and home office (mail, home files, etc.), Morgenstern also covers garage, basement, closets, etc. I'm serious, to change the way you look at things, you need to read several books and make yourself an "expert." Otherwise, it will be a book you read that you're not likely to act on.

I read them in the order of 1) Allen, 2) Morgenstern and 3) Crouch. If any readers will choose to read all three of these, I'd recommend Crouch first, then Allen, then Morgenstern. Crouch will lure you in with his short little chapters (once you get past his too many introductory-type chapters before you get into the good stuff). Then, reinforce what you learn by reading a lot of overlapping stuff in Allen's book, but Allen will give you an outline or framework that ties it all together. Then, move on from the office to your closets and garage with Morgenstern. Of the three, Allen was the best for me, but I needed the others to sustain my momentum. Good luck!

As an elementary school counselor I used this book to help students cope with grief and loss.

I wish there was a way to promote her books more. I bought one of Jamie's earlier books for a little boy a couple years ago. Recently, I was very surprised when his Mother said that it was the only book he enjoyed reading and wanted "Where Do Balloons Go?" for a birthday presnt. This little boy doesn't read very much but spends a lot of time in front of the television or computer, so it was very uplifting to know he realized there is more to life than visuals.

Our grandson has this book & loves it so much that we purchased another as a gift for our nephew.

my daughter absolutely loves this book. the age range says 4 and up but my daughter is two and loves it and is addicted to it. she wants me to read it to her before her nap and bedtime. i would say not to leave it down where a child under 4 could rip the pages. this books verbage and artwork is so clever. my daughter and i both get a kick out of it. there are reusable stickers included in the back of the book and you can use them on the pretty inside covers in the front or back (slick surface- either cloud or space background). she always sees them when we are done reading and can't wait until she can one day play with them. she loves stickers but tends to rip them and ruin them at this age- so i'm waiting to let her play with these! i would recommend this book to anyone, and i know i will buying this as gifts!

I think every young child whose ever accidentally released a balloon into the wild blue yonder has wondered what happens to them...and this book gives kids some whimsical ideas about the secret life of balloons that should ease their minds about what happens...I suppose this is a better way for kids to think about it than just popping somewhere up there and plummeting to the ground. The words are written in silly rhymes and the illustrations are lush and whimsical...just plain silly and loads of fun for young readers. Younger kids (2-4) will like having the opportunity to explore each page and older kids (5-8) will enjoy reading all the additional text loaded onto each page (balloons writing post cards, signs for various things, ect...) that should help keep their interest when the simple rhyme is, well, too simple for them to enjoy. Each page feels rather like an explosion of art and whimsy...it is that chaotic splendor that kids can't help but love!! Where to Balloons Go? doesn't provide any scientific explanation...but it's not meant to, it's just plain fun!! Kids and adults alike will have fun reading this and diving right into the incredible illustrations...if you've got a kid 4-8, this is a must read!!

After a recomendation to read this book, I purchased it and quickly read it. I found this book to have been a major disappointment. The plot is too convuluted to be realistic is my major complaint. How all of the main characters are enabled to meet in San Francisco, at the end of the novel, is so incredible, it boggles the mind. I am very surprised that a major publisher saw fit to print it; I am also surprised that it won a minor book prize. This book was to unrealistic to be enjoyed. It failed as a Viet Nam war novel and failed as a mystery. This was one terrible read.

This novel was my first of Vea's to read. I enjoy the magical realism of Eco, Garcia, Robbins, etc. and thought that this story fit in very well with the genre. There are some graphic moments described in a Vietnam battle sequence that may put some readers off their oats momentarily and return to their thoughts after reading the book. The premise is very believable which makes the ultimate realization of the book's surrealistic theme believable.

Not My meaning "mine," of course; just My meaning "My Choice for..."

...Hard to say...Was my favorite novel when I read it, but then so was It. I'm a bit removed from Vea's words now, though I can say its a damn shame that the last review of this book is from 2003...not enough folks breathing this air. This story is air, and air is essential, right?

Greatest or no, I will never forget the ultimate revelation of Gods Go Begging - the most beautiful experience I have ever had with literature. True love was never more pure, more real.

Even my memories breed tears.

Alfrodo Vea shows the way that war realy efects people not only on the battle field but also the people that the soldiers leave behind when they die. The story is of two battles one fought in Vvietnam and another fought on the streets of San francisco. As the book progresses the reader finds out more and more about the story up until the shocking This is a great book chock full of Vea's twisted humor and many interestring facts and I would recomend it for anyone who enjoys a good truthful novel about the vietnam war.

The style used to write the book is amazing. I love most how it continually jumps back and forth through different times and memories of the main character, Jesse Pasadoble. By doing this, it only lets the audience find out little portions of the story at a time. By the end of the novel, everything comes together and makes for a beautiful plot line. Alfredo Vea also forces you to fall in love with several of his characters by making them so charismatic. The reader, shortly through the book, begins loving to read every single line about any one of the amazingly created characters. If you read it, you will love it.

Fantasy. Young elementary.

Summary
Jimmy's mother won't give him a moon pie and mil, before dinner. So, Jimmy uses his secret project--his jalopy--to go to the moon. The man in the moon-moon maker gave him 1000 pies. Then he went to the Milky Way for milk. He had an accident and landed on Mars, where it was raining milk from his accident. When a Martian monster came, he made friends with the food. The Martians made a giant moon pie wrapper balloon so Jimmy could get home. He arrived home in time for dinner, and his mother gave him a moon pie and milk for desert.

Illustrations
The pictures seem to be of an older time, but they have a modern look, boy-humor, fun, colorful, and enchanting.

I first discovered this book at my sisters house. My son loves it. Amazing illustrations, fun story with a little nod to the 50's lifestyle. Encourages imaginative play with a little mystery that every kid will love. I can't give this book enough praise. makes a great gift.

A clever, imaginative book. I bought it for my husband, who loves moon pies, and he read it to our daughters, ages 5 & 9. This book has everything: action, adventure, great illustrations, and moon pies for dessert! Eight thumbs up from my family!

This incredibly charming book has fabulous illustrations that will remind some of a 1950s kids book BUT kids won't find it old-fashioned at all! It is a fabulous journey w/ Jimmy Zangwow. I've given it for birthday presents... complete w/ a box of Moon pies from Cracker Barrel. My three year old little girl adores it... as does her 8 year boy cousin! Don't miss it!

It is an absolutely fabulous book! My son has been asking to read this book every night for the past month. We have flown to the moon, Mars and the Milky Way. We have become good friend with the Grimble Grinder, an of course gotten more than our share of moon pie. Yes, it is always shared with the Mars men. This book is on our all time favorites list!

Lola doesn't go to bed.Lola likes to stay up coloring and scribbling and sticking and wriggling and bouncing and most of all chattering.

I love this book! And my kids love it too! Very funny! Amazing artwork! This one is a must buy if you have a kid who always comes up with excuses as to why she doesn't have to go to bed!
I highly recommend this one!

I purchased this for my daughter, who enjoys the television series and other books featuring Charlie and Lola. It's great for beginning readers, since the colorful, cheerful graphics complement the sparse text.

These books are exactly like the disney channel cartoon - same illustrations and same "voice". Text swirls around the pages, just like Lola - cute and imaginative.

My 5-year-old Son loves this book! It's been a top pick at bedtime many nights. He has an imagination like Lolas. VERY CUTE BOOK!

I spend several months each year in Mexico and own about 20 books about this fascinating country and it's people. Though the last printing was 1998, I still rate this book as excellent. The reason is it comes from the grounded perspective of a gringo who has lived throughout Mexico for many years. This is not a tourist guide. It's really about the heart and soul of the people and their culture.

Excellent guide to Mexico. We found this to be the best and most readable of many guides on topics that included just getting along; driving, eating, etc. Very readable, humorous. Too bad these guys don' t have similar books for other countries in the manner of the 'Moon' handbooks, Eyewitness guides, etc.

Much of the information is old, based as it is on the authors trips to Mexico for the past several decades. Doesn't make the book any less valuable or interesting. If you're going to Mexico on anything other than the sanitized tourist package, you should get and read this book.

Carl Franz's fantastic book is not your typical guide book, nor is it intended to be. If what you're looking for is facts and information, maps and a list of cheap hotels and restaurants this isn't the book for you. If you want to cross the border in your mind and see what Mexico and its people are really like, then go no further. This is a book you can enjoy whether or not you're planning to go anywhere near Mexico. And after you've read it you'll not only feel that you've been there, you'll be packing to go.

I take this every time I go to Mexico, as it always seems to have something more to offer. My copy is beat up & worn out but I love it.

Great tips, advice and information - highly recommended for anyone interested in getting beneath the skin of what Mexico has to offer.

It's a very enjoyable read, no doubt about that. What you WON'T find is a bunch of addresses of hotels and restaurants, no maps, and no bus schedules. What you WILL find is a very long series of amusing tips and hints about travel in Mexico. However, the book is a little dated, and it's been many a year since Carl Franz travelled through Mexico in the style here related--his current guided trips through Sonora will cost you in the thousands, which is certainly not what this book was all about!

Drummer Hoff (Stories to Go!)
This book was enjoyed by my daughter when she was 5 and now my grandson is enjoying this version of the book, the pictures are smaller than the first copy we had but still terrific and the rhymes are great. Older kids can finish the end of the rhyme after a few times of reading, little ones like my grandson who is 2-1/2 just like the sound of the story and beautiful award winning illustrations.

If your family is like mine and missed this little gem all these years, now is the time to rush out and get a copy. For more than a year, from the day we found this at a garage sale, Drummer Hoff has been a "must read" when visiting Grandma's house. The color, the repetitive rhythm of the text (that even the 19 month old now recites), and the details that continue to add interest--all make this a fun read-aloud, especially when the adult adds motion and volume to the KaBoom ending.

Though the little ones are far too young to be introduced to heavy subjects like war, it has only been natural to add our own "and only the birds and flowers and bugs are left" to the last two pages, and there will be time enough to discuss the larger story begun here.

Overall, just a great read, illustrated with pictures that will help children far more than some of the cartoonish excesses that are passed off as art in far too much juvenile literature.

I purchased a copy of this book for each of my two grandsons. I had read it to all three of my children and they all loved it - the repetition and the rhymes and the pictures. When my daughter told me that she had taken it out from the library to read to her son, I decided to get each one a copy of the book so they could enjoy it all the time.

Very exciting book for young children! My children and grandchildren love this book!

This was another of my favorites as a child and was happy to find it on AMAZON. As a child, my mom would take us to the library. I would be heartbroken if DH was missing. Now, I read it to my son at bedtime and give all the fine gentlemen appropriate brogues. Aye, Corporal Chowder, 'e brought th' powder.

Not to mention we love the stained glass imagery. A Wonderfully artist and a great quick story.

Our copy has now passed on to our third child -- Anna and Jane loved this book, and Danny loves it, too.

Byron Barton really seems to "get it" -- what captivates a child. Bold illustrations, nice use of color, and just enough detail for a board book.

Board books aren't necessarily meant to teach or be encyclopedic -- they're like good friends that you visit every day, and look forward to doing so. "Machines At Work" is just that -- a good friend.

We've named the characters, we make construction sounds when we read, and we love the lunch break and the end of the day pages.

Solidly constructed, wonderfully illustrated, and age appropriate, "Machines At Work" is a winner, sure to please any pre-reader. Thank you, Byron Barton!

My two year old recently figured out all the sentences in this book, and reads them aloud. He feels so proud after finishing the story, and reads it almost every night. Of course he's just memorizing but its one of a few books that he "reads".

My three year old son usually only lets me read him books with characters he knows. I gambled on this one and came up a winner. I'm not sure why, but he laughs through the whole thing and wants to hear it again and again. He loves to beat me to the first line, "Hey you guys!" For my reluctant reader, Machines at Work is a winner.

When I first got this for my son (2 years), I thought "What a snooze-fest!" We were still high on the Mo Willems wave, still in love with Knuffle Bunny and the slightly off-kilter viewpoint of the Pigeon, so the utter barrenness and simplicity of Machines at Work honestly put me off. But, as it is all about the baby (and don't he know it!), Connor simply loves it! Although he is fickle (we have now moved on to the pop-up Bug series by David A. Carter) it firmly held the New Boy Times #1 bedseller slot for a good 3 weeks (an eternity to the toddler set). It also was known to douse many a tantrum (great diversion - "I know you just ka-bonked your head on the dining room table for the fortieth time today, but LOOK AT THESE COOL TRUCKS!") and entertain on long car rides.

The story (as it is) involves a diverse work crew doing stuff with simple 4-5 word narration for each page. It is so simple, it is almost zen-like. And Connor came to be able to repeat each phrase as we turned the page - as soon as I opened the cover he would gleefully shoud out "Hey, you guys!". Reading this to him at bedtime has become one of the fondest memories of my fatherhood experience, and hopefully one of my son's funnest moments.

When you write as many reviews of children's books as I do (and is there any more pompous way to begin a sentence, I wonder) you sometimes find yourself at a loss for words when it comes to the simpler ones. And author/illustrator Byron Barton is, if nothing else, the patron saint of picture book straightforwardness. There is no wry undertone to a Barton book. No sly wit. No winks or nods to parents and educators beneath the simple childlike text. Nope. Byron Barton is an author that writes stories for children and children alone. In "Machines At Work", Barton (who's millions of books have covered every topic from planes to dinosaurs) tackles that perpetual toddler fascination - - the worksite.

In this particular book, we observe a wide variety of small workers (male, female, white, black, etc.) off to work. Some climb readily into their machines. Others dictate instructions from below. For this day, the workers knock down a building, bulldoze trees, dump rubble, take a lunch break, build a building, and build a road (amongst other activities). Then the expressionless crew heads for home after a long and satisfying day. Says the text, "More work tomorrow".

The book begins with the sentence, "Hey, you guys!". For those parents amongst you who remember the heyday of that classic PBS show, "The Electric Company", you know how best to read that line. Otherwise, the sentences in this book tend to be instructions. The narrator (and, hence, the child reading the book) tells the little people what to do and they do it. I was intrigued by the prior reviewer of this book who commented that though we see the workers apparently build a road and building, no final product is ever shown at the end. It would be nice to see the result of all this work. Obviously Barton thinks kids would be far more interested in the breaking down and building up than in the end products. I was also a little amazed at the amount of destruction in this book as opposed to the significantly smaller amount of construction.

But these aren't really criticisms. If you've a kid who likes machines that go vroom and boom, it's hard to find fault with this book. There are plenty of simple words with thick black lines for kids to understand. No, it won't name the machines one by one. You'll have to find a different book for that. Still, it's a nice enough preschool title to entrance those kiddies who're already enamored of these friendly agents of destruction. A simple text that is certain to find a wide appreciative audience.