North Carolina Books

My fourth-grade son and I are reading "Jack Adrift" out loud to each other. We both love the book, which makes us laugh and nearly cry with the sensitive and humorous descriptions of a young boy's life. Gantos is an excellent writer, who really makes you feel sympathetic to the characters in "Jack Adrift." We are now eager to read his other books.

Jack Henry is back. The stories in this book weave together as Jack faces a new school with a nasty principal, a beautiful and smart teacher, irritating siblings, and parents who are preaching totally different approaches to success in life. The book has great humor and pathos. Gantos perfectly captures the mental state of boys at this age.

Some of the book's funniest moments are captured in the handwritten diary entries that precede the chapters. Be sure to read them. Also, given the fate of so many other Henry family pets, I have to admit I feared the worst when the vet tells Jack how to get his duck to put on new feathers. Like all his books, this one is a fun read aloud. You know the writing is terrific when listeners to the story put their hands over their eyes when the duck goes in the freezer.

Sweet! This book is wonderful in a sense that it is one of those "old" mystery books. I've absolutely loved Baldwin's writing ever since I recieved the copy of KILL THE BENEFACTOR from him personally. I encourage you to read Baldwin's KILL THE BENEFACTOR. I welcome his writing and absolutely love this book! CONGRATULATIONS BALDWIN! A job well-done!

Hurrah! A genuinely clever mystery plotter who reminds me of my old favorites. I've been a mystery fan for years now, and have found that I tend to prefer older stories and authors to new ones. So many of the new mysteries seem to rely on grisly "hooks" or "cutesy" themes to attract readers. I have missed the smarts of writers like Ngaio Marsh and Arthur Conan-Doyle and their cunning characters. A warm welcome to Mart Baldwin, Hawg Hackett, and their lovely North Carolina mountains.

Every night before bed my almost two year old daughter searches through her pile of books to find Kinnakeet (also known in our house as Ki Ki). As soon as she finds it, she screams in delight. The story is excellently written and the drawings are a great compliment to the story. We typically read it twice each night. It's a favorite in our house!

Kinnakeet and the Lighthouse is an absolute jewel of book. The storyline is clear, concise and abounds with colorful, easy-to-understand text. The artwork is beautifully done and complements the story perfectly. The authors do an excellent job of bringing out the noble Kinnakeet's character and it is a pleasure for me to read this book to my young niece and nephew. I recommend this book to anybody interested in teaching selfless values and courage to the young minds within their influence and look forward to seeing more inspirational stories by these talented authors.

I had read a review that complained about Bullard only using visible characteristics but for quick ids it is a good reference to have. It is a great addition to my collection. Short and easy taxanomic keys. I also have Paul Sandifers Decapods of the Chesapeake Bay and the two go well together. Bullard draws from Sandifer in his book but also has other good drawings for identification. For most species there are drawings for each zoea life stage.

Excellent crab larvae key for the east coast! If you have or love crab larvae, you NEED this!

This book reminds me of Laura Ingalls Wilder, specifically "Little House in the Big Woods". It takes place more recently, but has a lot of that feeling of pioneering and making a living from scratch. It has so much detail that the time and place came alive for me. The story would be of special interest to folk music fans, herbalists and botanists.

As a lover of the NC mountains, this book speaks of people and places of my childhood. The story of this family is one of music, heritage, honor, humor and heartache. The isolation of the rugged mountains in the early part of this century makes me, who sometimes longs for a simpler way of life, want to experience it, but at the same time, I am humbled that I would probably never survive it. Having sat on Mr. Hick's porch as a child, and listened to his Jack Tales, I have a new admiration for him and his family. If I ever have the nerve to complain about my circumstances, I always think of this story and count my blessings. Not for those who want to pity those with fewer possessions or dollars than the average US family, for these people possess much more than so many of us!

This work should be of more than passing interest to those who more and more find themselves beset on every side by urban sprawl. The author sets out in many ways to preserve an old family homestead; but, more important, seeks ways to make the place profitable. His attempts are often hilarious, the more so when they fail, and they never lack meaning for others who share his feelings about the need for ways to protect ourselves from the menace of an urbanization that has rapidly got out of contol.

This work should be of more than passing interest to those who more and more find themselves beset on every side by urban sprawl. The author sets out in many ways to preserve an old family homestead; but, more important, seeks ways to make the place profitable. His attempts are often hilarious, the more so when they fail, and they never lack meaning for others who share his feelings about the need for ways to protect ourselves from the menace of an urbanization that has rapidly got out of contol.

Enjoyed the book so much. A quiick read, page turner.... hope there is a "next" book that will continue the story. Please Mrs. Layng, hurry with the next one.

Letters from James is an awesome story of Jenny, and James in during the first world war. It is so real that it feels like you know the charachters yourself, and that you are there with them going through the happy, and sad times. As you read the book it makes you want to turn the next page. It is one of those books that you just can't put down because it is so good. Will they ever meet?

I really enjoyed this book since I grew up in Lexington, NC...a lot of history in Lexington I didn't know. I also gave copy to my best friend since we grew up together and were neighbors in Lexington.

I gave this book to my mother-in law who is from Lexington NC and she loved it! There are a lot of pictures to think of good old memories.
I think a book like this is very special.

I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet and funny and very heartwarming. This may be sold as a children's book, but I think it is for anyone who loves dogs. Fun story and the pictures are a scream.

This book is tons of fun and has a great message about kindness to animals. It's good for kids or adults and will be a big hit with any animal lover. The photos of the dogs are a hoot!

Ever remembered a sentence or two from the book and, still later on, didn't recall where it comes from? Well, there is one in the 'The lost boy' that I'd say I'll never forget. It goes: 'Light came and went and came again...' I would believe this is the best definition of Time I've ever read. It tells what we all already know - that the Time is here, all around, that it passes, eternally, incessantly, giving us no chance to do anything about it. And although there's much more to the nouvellette, it's worth reading it from the beginning to the end. It's 'realness' moves you all along.

This book is a gem! It is brimming with lyricism, longing and passion. It is Wolfe at his very best. For those who feel that Wolfe tended to ramble, here they will find him constrained by the limits of the novella form. They will find his skill for characterization (which was always remarkable) honed to an even higher degree of excellence in this piece. The story is autobiographical and deeply felt by Wolfe and he succeeds in transmitting those feelings to the reader. It is my belief that even if he had written nothing else, his reputation could rest comfortably on this piece alone.