Publishing Books

This was my 8th grade son's summer reading. He could not stop reading it and it caused him to initiate a lot of conversation with us about the holocaust. Since it was from the perspective of a girl his own age, he really identified with it.

I have just started reading more accounts of World War II and really enjoyed this survivor story. It is a big account in a small package. It is not about the gory details, but more about the emotions behind them. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

this book was awesome. i read it in a day. very hard to read, but you have to do it. buy!!!!

The book shows plenty of emotions of their loved ones being lost. Livia wrote her memory into a book, like most Holocaust survivors did. Most people are unaware of the presence of the Holocaust or just were uninterested. Like most Holocaust books they show the nightmare they experienced. Elli gives the reader an idea that they have hope to survive.
Some people read certain Holocaust books that fits their writing style and her Livia gives the reader the first person point of view.
We chose this book for our English class and we presented how they were killed like if one person in the barrack did not cooperate with the SS officers, the entire barrack was sent to gas chambers.
I recommend readers read this book.

This book is so powerful. I have read many stories of Holocaust survivors, but few if any have presented such a vivid view of the horrors the Jews faced. Some parts were disturbing, but they describe true history, so they are definitely important to read. If you're interested in the Holocaust, this is a great read.

This is an AMAZING series!
i've recomended it to so many frends and family members i can't count and they have all come back begging for more!

If you haven't read this series yet... DO SO NOW!

John Marsden has done an excellent job creating a great and exciting story about friendship, war, and love. I have read all the books in this series and I was so mad when it ended. You feel so close to the charactors that when it's over, its heartbreaking. I wish I could meet every one of the charactors on the book. This series truly has changed my life. I've learned so much and it has changed the way I feel about a war. Now that I know first hand what people go through in a war, I'll never doubt the affects again.

I wouldn't have gone for this book if it was pitched to me: a group of teens laugh, fall in love, and grow up in the context of suddenly having to survive as guerrillas. Yeah, right.

But I think Marsden held this together surprisingly well - there are a few strengths to the book (I was about to continue this sentence along the lines of, `that explain the popularity of the series', but there are way too many examples of popularity not reflecting quality).

Ahoy - spoilers ahead.

I liked the very deliberate way Marsden gave us several chapters of these teenagers simply being recognisable Australian kids. Admittedly he did open with the teaser - the hint of something big and dark - rather than totally selling this as a teen romance/coming of age story before the shocking twist. I could have coped without the early promise of more, but tell me he wasn't consciously thinking he didn't want to lose some year nine boys before they got to the shooting (`Is this a kissing book?'). Actually, you don't have to tell me: he's totally open about consciously writing for this market in his preface. That being said, he does only hint, and then spends some time on getting his target audience of Oz juveniles to identify with the main characters. Hence the greater potency when their world is changed in a moment. It probably resonates far more with old folks like myself who already subscribe to this notion, but it would be great if even a few complacent Australians were woken up to the fact that wars don't happen to qualitatively different people - people that you somehow think, you know, them having their homes bombed and being refugees is the sort of thing they just take in their stride. Reminds me of Steely Dan's potent `Third World Man', where Fagan twists familiar suburban images into those of war, for example, "Johnny's playroom, is a bunker filled with sand," "I saw fireworks, I thought that I was dreaming, `til the neighbours came out screaming'" (OK, it works better with Larry Carlton's exquisite solo). So, sure, hats off to Marsden for putting more of a familiar human face in something usually seen as alien.

But once the invasion occurs our plucky kids don't suddenly morph into a crack military unit (well, they do a bit), nor does the book simply shrink into an ugly Tom Clancy/Chuck Norris jingoistic potboiler. Somehow he keeps the teen (dare I say, the `girly' teen) thing happening: introspection with occasional passable insights (eg. people don't really see things because they give them names - once something is named - such as the canyon `hell', they only perceive their projections in the misleading word; animals aren't so easily fooled), and classic - but realistic - boy/girl confusion over infatuation (save me from the appalling romance of just about any fantasy writer: McCaffrey, Kerr, Goodkind, Kay ... ugh. A legion of teenage readers swallowing supposedly profound relationships that haven't a hint of authenticity or beauty). Marsden doesn't play it for voyeurism, but you do get lines you might expect in Grey's Anatomy preceding a jet firing missiles. There's even time for a little historical detection with regard to the enigmatic hermit - who would have thought it? There's also a usable range of characters with far more depth and room for development than many purportedly adult novels. What? A Christian and a stoner that can't merely be summed up in those words. Blimey.

Realistic? Well, sure it's a bit of the old villain saying, "We could have succeeded in our evil plans if it wasn't for you pesky kids!", and that's attractive to some of his audience - it makes for a more enjoyable story than the naked realism of fly-ridden bloody corpses. But while he crosses the line here and there Marsden quite deliberately has the kids lower their expectations from movie ones, and will have a hero go into shock after a near miss rather than rip off their shirt and run unscathed through a hail of bullets slaying faceless hordes (this would also be problematic as some of the more central fighters are girls). This is refreshing. While he's also been careful not to demonise the enemy, I'd be interested to find out if the rest of the series goes as far as the leap to realising the `enemy' may actually have had as little choice as you about being in this dangerous situation.

The book is not a breathtaking achievement, but it is a solid one on a hazardous premise. A lot could have gone wrong that didn't, and there's a lot that goes right.

Ellie is so articulate, bright, and caring that she makes what would have been an average story into an amazing and believable account of eight young adults out to save their families and ultimately their homeland.

Once I got used to the Australian vernacular, I read this book at an amazing pace because I simply couldn't put it down.

I can't wait to hunt down the rest of this series.

I really enjoyed this book and plan to buy the rest of the series. It has a good mix of adventure and romance so it will appeal to most of my high school students. The characters have distinct personalities and all of them show strengths in the story which could be a great jumping off point for a discussion on how we are all different and how our differences make society function better. Aside from thoughts about teaching, I simply couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know what happened next.

Exactly what I was looking for--techniques, recipes, examples,all with great color photos. I will enjoy this grilling book greatly!

My friends and I wouldn't be without this Grilling book for our husbands!
They love it and barbecue more than ever!
You only need this one, forget the others. My friend has
been using it for 3 years and recommended it to me. A very good
gift to give someone for Christmas, Birthday, etc.

A very good book covering all types of meats & preparations to BBQ.
Lots of usefull info.

I used to eat every meal out. I bought a grill because it is getting so expensive to eat out. I bought this book to teach me how to use it. This book is great. It removes the guess work, for every question I've had the answer is there. One tip, buy the book before you buy the grill because it even covers what to look for in a grill.

Bought this book shortly after buying our Weber grill. After having a copy checked out of the library for 2 months, decided it was time to buy my own copy. My husband would take it to bed for evening reading, even had me read him a "bedtime story" from it (recipe for baby back ribs). This book is fantastic for those of us (like me) who need help with the grilling basics, but equally wonderful for those who are just looking for recipes. The pictures are wonderful, step-by-step directions on preparing the meat. Lots of great rubs and sauces in the back. Has both a general index and a recipe index.

What a treat to buy this for a friend's baby. My youngest child LOVED this book because as others have pointed out, it is fantastic! Just reading the words results in a great rhyme and makes you dance. You can't help it. Babies love it, toddlers love it, and parents love to read it, even the 4,999th time. It makes everyone smile. We wore the cover off and had to buy multiple copies. What a great author, love all her books but this is by far our fave.

If you read this book naturally, the inherent rhythms of the text turn it into a little song unto itself. You can tap your foot to it. Our baby girl dances to the *words* alone.

Get this book. It's brilliant.

This is one of the cutest books ever written for little ones! Great quality for tiny teeth and fingers! It's so eye-catching and colorful, they all LOVE this one!

There is no greater compliment than when a child tries to recite the book BACK to the parents. Boynton has accomplished that with "Barnyard Dance!" Our oldest daughter, who is three, has Developmental Apraxia of Speech. Words do not come easily for her. BUT she adores this book and tries to "read" it to us all the time. Guaranteed to please your little one, I promise.

This one is great for babies and toddlers, and even slightly older kids can get into it. It's one of the ones I really wish existed as a non-board book!

The illustrations are cute, the text is simple and catchy - what more do you want?

A classic after many years, and deservedly so. Harold creates an adventure--plot, setting, and characters--armed with nothing but the purple crayon with which he draws it, page after page. Simple and enchanting, Harold and the Purple Crayon will be among the most requested in your child's library.

My three-year-old daughter is the third generation in our family to have enjoyed this imaginative book.

My son loves to read about Harold's adventures over and over and over again. After Harold, it's Cyrano, a caterpillar failing in school in Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tale of Successand then Nate the piglet that turns a school upside down when he visits in The Big Squeal: A Wild, True, and Twisted Tail. These books are so wonderful for kid's imagination...and you know what ..I enjoy them too.

My sister resently bought this book for my 3 year old son & once we started to read it I remoembered it from when I was a little girl. My son absolutly LOVES IT & I do as well. To be able to create different things with just a crayon & your imagination is wonderful. It's the perfect book for young as well as old

I recommend this book. It portrays how all that we create in the world comes from our imagination, in which the possibilities are limitless.

I love this story so I bought it for my son. When we got it there were at least 10 blank pages in the book fragmenting the story so badly that it didnt make any sence. My beef is not with the story its with Amazon for selling it to me in that condition and with the publisher for their quality control issues. I only paid 6.99 for it so I didnt mess with returning it. Im going to try it again and see if we can get the whole story this time. If the book is not right this time I will return it and not purchase books from Amazon again. Hopefully we will get a full story and we can enjoy it like my parents and I did when I was a kid.

My seven year old daughter was spellbound by the prose and the drawings in this wonderful version of the Greek myths.

My junior high used this as a textbook. I loved it so much that I bought a copy, only to lose it years later. Because I couldn't remember the author, I spent more than a decade hunting for a copy (try googling "Greek Myths"!), but now I've found it. As far as I'm concerned no other retelling of Greek mythology can hold a candle to D'Aulaires'. A must for any library -- personal or public.

I got this book a long time ago when I was little, and even though some of the content was no doubt too old for me at the time, I still loved it and never grew tired of reading the book.

I use this as my guide to greek mythology still - the pictures are gorgeous, and the stories well done.

I'd recommend this for any Greek mythology lover.

I have had this book over 10 years and it is wonderful. It introduced me to mythology and hooked me from the beginning. I remember spending much time studying the pictures which are bright and detailed. Beyond being entertaining, the stories helped to prepare me for the frequent references to greek mythology in all types of art.

If and easy-to-read introduction into Greek Mythology is what you are seeking, then there is no need to look any longer. All the stories from Gaia and her children the Titans to the legendary gods atop Mt. Olympus and their children are explained in rich detail with fully colored illustrations, that alone are worthy of 5-stars. But the adventure doesn't stop there, all the minor and major events that are attributed to Greek Lore are presented in the same painstaking detail. This definitely a must for all lovers of Greek legend and even for those with minor interests.

Editor of the highly recommended Greek novel: Fates by Georgiou Tino.

Penman's books are all fairly lengthy, but by the time you get to the end, you don't want it to be over. This one is no exception. I actually preferred the character of Edward to Richard in this book. Probably because he seemed more believable. Penman let his flaws show brightly and therefore seem more relatable (I think that's probably why Anne was probably my least favorite character). The almost saintly portrayal of Richard is pretty much my only complaint though. I was thoroughly entertained by this book. The relationship between Edward and Richard was touching and the shift in Edward's character throughout the book was very well done.

I think the reason why I'm such a huge fan of SKP is her ability to really make you sympathize with the characters. She always makes their motives really clear and you almost can't dislike any of them, because you really feel like you understand them. The best example of this was Richard's decision in the final battle.

The best part, for me, is that the history is amazingly well researched, as always. There's only one fictional "main" character, and she's not a very important. The story just sucks you in even if you don't have much background knowledge. This one is definitely a keeper!

Dealing with complex issues, a distant time, and unfamiliar (to me) names, this author knocked it out of the park. This book is absorbing from its first page to its last. While managing to tell the not-uncomplicated story of the Wars of the Roses, the author creates compelling, even sympathetic, characters. Her research is obviously well-done, as her descriptions of everyday life in that long-ago time were vivid and fascinating.
I loved this book.

This is the first book by Sharon Kay Penman that I've read and I have to say that I'm very impressed. Penman does an amazing job of laying before the reader the tangled web of deceit that surrounded the reigns of Edward IV and Richard III in way that makes it easy to understand.

This is the story of The War of the Roses and the life of Richard III. We follow Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, 'Dickon', as his family calls him, through the deaths of his father and brother, the rise of his brother Edward to the throne, Edward's death, Richard's crowning as king and his eventual death at the hands of Henry VII.

Penman shows the reader the potential motives behind the endless betrayals as well as the scandalous rumors that were rampant during the time. The story brings to mind the old saying "keep your friends close and your enemies closer".

Yes, there's a lot of history and a lot of people with multiple names to keep track of but I don't know that I've read another book where the author was so generous in keeping them all straight for the reader. I confess that I always read with paper and pen in hand so I can keep track of 'whose who', and I did with this book as well, but Penman offers so many opportunities to clear up any confusion that I found I referred to my notes on 'whose who' very little.

The book is broken up into four different parts and while I found the first part a bit dry and heavy on the battle scenes the rest of the book is much more expansive.

I was moved by this story, fascinated by the history and very impressed with the writing.

I bought this book for my Kindle and am besotted with it.

I read it then read it for the second time without pausing and am now more than half way through a third reading. It is intoxicating and addictive. The language is glorious, the ambience exact and the characters full bloodied and three dimensional. Ms Penman seems to have used Kendall as her primary source and what excellent use she has made of his biography of Richard! I am left wordless with admiration at the skill with which she weaves the complex strands of the dynastic civil wars into a coherent tapestry of such great beauty.

I would recommend this book to any reader hunting for a richly detailed and thoroughly engrossing tale. It is quite truly one of those "couldn't put it down" books which come along only too rarely in today's world. My only complaint is that more of Ms Penman's works are not available for the Kindle. I would like to have her complete collection available to carry around with me to read whenever I chose.

15 years ago a friend loaned me this book and I fell in love with this talented author's writing. After this book I read everything available by Sharon Kay Penman and then began to read anything to do with British medieval history.

Penman painstakingly researched her subjects and brought them to life as no one else could. I fell in love with Richard who as a 5 year old boy lost in the woods proved his absolute loyality to his older brother. This is the brother who would become Edward IV. He was willing to say he was in the wrong rather then get his shining brother, "Ned" into trouble with their mother.

He faced the horrors of war, the loss of his father and brother in a brutal massacre and he became a great, loyal, honorable man. I despise the stories that claim he was a hunchback with a withered arm. As if any man who could fight with a broad sword and lead men into battle would be anything less then a strong fighter in his own right.

The years that Richard suffered to prepare both mind and body to be worthy of a great knight are proof that he had to be in superb condition. But the lies that Henry VII put out were believed by Shakespeare and used to malign him further in history.

It's such a wonderful tale of love, battles, defeat, glory, men who fall lose everything & fight their way back, wonderful women and the greed of the Queen's family that helped bring down the dynasty.

I can't believe it has not been made into a movie. What is wrong with Hollywood? We see so many movies with men and armor fighting with broadswords. Everyone loves these stories. Will someone wake up?

I have 2 favorite books and this is one of them.

I bought this book and CD for entertainment on our summer road trips and it has quickly become a favorite of all 3 of my children (ages 14 months, 5 and 8). The tunes are toe-tapping and fun to listen and sing to. The lyrics are funny and easily understood so that kids can learn the songs. I highly recommend the book and CD -- makes a great gift for new big brothers and sisters when a baby is born.

I love this album. There are only two or three songs that I don't like, but several that are my favorites. I actually laughed out loud when I first listened to some of the lyrics. My five year old loves it and my three month old seems to as well. Definitely worth the extra dollar or so to get the illustrated book. I can't wait to get the other Boynton cd's.

Sandra Boynton has elevated the genre of children's music to an all-time high. The ubiquitous recycled children's songs with little musical value are thankfully absent from her album. Boynton's lyrics are delightful with accompanying music that adults will recognize from the mainstream. Jazz, ballads, imaginary Broadway hits come together for great family entertainment. This purchase will give you two treats in one. Along with the CD, Boynton's book is a treasure of zany sketches and musical scores.

If you have one CD/book to buy for the child in your life, this is it. The only CD that our family likes as much is Boynton's Blue Moo album. Both are wise purchases.

I bought this for my autistic son when he was small as a way to help engage him. We sang and read together every night for months. It left such an impression on me, that when I discovered that my son had lost the CD, I became a little panicky. I really think Philadelphia Chickens is destined to be a children's classic. If you want to delight and entertain, this is the way to go. The Boyton/Ford collaborations have become my new favorite baby gift. If I know you and like you and you're pregnant, you better make room on your bookshelf 'cause you're getting these CDs. They are just too much fun.

"Cows, we're remarkable cows, and wherever we go it's a Fabulous show, Yes we are Cows - COWS !!!"

We have to here this song ever time we get buckled in the car and start down the driveway, and It never gets Old, great Cd Fun,fun,fun !!

My 2-year old daughter *loves* this book, especially finding Goldbug. Although now she's done it so many times, she remembers where he is on each page, so even though it's still fun for her, it's lost a little of the mystery. Can anyone recommend any similar proto-'where's waldo'-type books for toddlers?

My grandson loves the book. He's into trucks, etc., and the abundance and variety of moving vehicles is fascinating to him.

Wonderful book. Lots to look at and discuss. My son cannot get enough of this book. It has been his favorite for at least three months so far! We wore out a yard sale copy and bought a new one! It is a great distraction in the car and at restaurants. Excellent at bedtime. Richard Scarry is great.

I bought this book for my 2-year-old son and he loves it. He is into trucks and cars and wouldn't put this down. He now knows about all kinds of trucks. There isn't much of a story. He just likes looking at and saying all of the different trucks (such as a flatbed trailer).

My son loves Richard Scarry books and construction equipment so this book is a good match. He pores over the pictures looking for Goldbug and pointing out funny things like Hilda Hippo driving a loader.

We recently bought this book for our 15-month old and he loves it. The illustrations are lovely, the narrative is sweet and melodic, and it is short enough to be a book that holds his attention start to finish even when he is tired. A lovely find!

Time for bed is a wonderful bedtime story for children of all ages.
My granddaughters just love it and want it read over & over!

This is absolutely a lovely book. The illustrations are soothing for bedtime, and the rhythmic story makes for a perfect bedtime story. I have been reading this to my son since he was born, and he still loves it at 3 years old. Great bonding experience with this wonderful story.

This is a great book that I would recommend to all for those quite moments just before sleep. This gentle story leads you through an array of animals as they settle down for the night. I find the pictures great and the gentle rhythm of the book a delight. I could not as more of a bedtime story.

I read this book to my daughter many nights from the night she was born until she was old enough for chapter books. She loved the cadence of the rhymes and would repeat them along with me as she got older. Now my oldest step-daughter is having her first baby so this is one of the books we got her - we hope it will be a favorite in her house as well!