Game Studies Books

Hercule Poirot, Agetha Christie's legendary detective, loved to stimuate his little grey cells with a mystery. Well there's no mystery about this book. It's terrific! The little grey cells in both of my children have been greatly stimutated by Thinking Games for Preschoolers. Susan Baltrus has provided a masterful tool for modern parenting. To raise a child without exposure to these thinking games is to risk your child's mind not reaching it's full potential. I whole heartedly recommend this book for every parent and grandparent who wants their child to be bright and inquisitive with fully developed little grey cells.

THINKING GAMES FOR PRESCHOOLERS, by Susan Baltrus has been my savior for this summer!! My children, ages 6 and 9, have enjoyed the games we've chosen to play from this wonderful book. When my children and their visiting playmates have a lull in the day and the "there is nothing to do and we're bored" comments begin, I simply grab THINKING GAMES FOR PRESCHOOLERS, choose a game, and the children become engrossed in a fun-filled, educational game. Each game is described in 3 short paragraphs or less and is followed by an example of how the parent/children would play the game. Susan also gives hints and variations which is great if the child is older or to give the game a new twist. I found this format exceptional. Many "idea" books for children give descriptions that only a parent with time or a quiet room can grasp but if they're like me and an idea is needed for that very moment, this book is ideal. My daughter enjoyed reading and choosing games from the book for her and her friends. I strongly note that this book is titled for preschoolers but contains ideas that are appropriate for all ages. We've had great fun with this, the ideas are easily grasped and the need for supplies is minimal - making more time for enjoyment!! What more can you or your child ask for!!

I'm a working mom, so I really try to maximize my time with my children. I've used several of the games, which are so well described in the book, to keep my children engaged and playing with me while we're out running errands, in the car or just hanging out together. I've also left it out for my nanny to read. Parents and caregivers can never have enough ideas for things to do with the kids. This book is simple to read and contains lots of terrific learning games. I recommend it highly as a gift or an addition to your own library.

I really liked the the book Thinking Games for Preschoolers, by Susan Baltrus! It's a great book, full of so many smart ideas to not only help pass time, but increase learning & thinking skills in a fun way! The games are easy to do, and any materials you may need are usually things you have handy. Plus the book is so well written & organized, you can find the perfect game in just a second!
This book would really be great for kids of any age. The author gives lots of variations which allow you to adjust the games to suit any child. It's even good for adults, there is a whole section of car games perfect for "road-trips"!
I'm already looking forward to Susan Baltrus' next book!

Let me begin by saying I do not have any children of my own, but I have 3 neices and a nephew and am an aunt to all my friends children. Ms. Baltrus is a God-send for people like me who don't have the need to creatively entertain children day in and day out. If family or friends drop in to my non-childproof home I quickly grab her book and have the children busy in no time. "Thinking Games for Preschoolers" is easy to use and comprehensive, with a broad array of games that really work. It has rescued this aunt and will be this Holiday Season's gift of choice!

This is a great book for teaching the writing traits. And, it's easily adaptable to grades 5 and 6 also. I highly recommend it.

This book contains transcripts and activities of lessons taught in conjunction with specific examples of children's lit. The transcripts show how the intended activity emerges. Some planning would be necessary to have these books on hand, or similar examples could be substituted. Overall, I think this will be a great book to use with my class.

This book is a great teaching tool. Within days of receiving it, I had already used several lessons. My class loves the lessons. I've also seen an improvement already in their writing. I have a class of second lang. learners. If it can work for them, it can work for anyone.

I am a third grade teacher of mostly at-risk students (English Lang. Learners and low socio-economic students). I was frustrated with the format of most writing instruction books. They were boring or hard to follow. I also wanted to incorporate the 6 traits of writing into my lessons, so when I saw this book, I thought I would try it.

I love how Sloan walks you through each lesson, what to say, what to do. The lessons are simple to understand and give for the teacher and the students.

It incorporates read-alouds of real books at the beginning of each lesson and shows how it ties in to what you're teaching.

My students were better writers from the very first lesson!

Book is full of excellent resources. I used it with my fifth graders and they enjoyed the lessons. My only wish is there would be more lessons for each of the traits.

With wisdom, insight, and realism, Peter Van Buskirk tells it like it is. This book provides practical advice for how to succeed in the college admissions process, not just survive. The best part is that as a parent and an admissions professional, Van Buskirk knows that "winning" the game means something different for every student. The objective is to identify and gain admission to the colleges that will best fit each individual's academic, professional, and personal goals. Van Buskirk's book will help students make that happen.

I highly recommend this book for high school students planning to apply to competitive colleges and for their parents. The book gives an honest and straightforward explanation of the process, from the earliest college visits to how to what to do if offered a spot on a college waitlist.

This is actually two books in one -- one geared to parents, the other for students. While some of the content overlaps, the advice, comments, and discussion is different in each section, geared to answer the different concerns and questions that students and parents have.

Despite the title, this is not one of those books that claims to explain what hoops the student must jump through to get into Ivy League schools. Rather, the author emphasizes the importance of finding a college that is a good fit for the student and disregarding the hype surrounding college rankings, and provides good tips for the student in narrowing down choices. He also tells parents to back off and let their kids take ownership of the process, while at the same time giving valuable pointers as to way parents can support and guide their teenagers along the way.

I think the book's greatest strength is the author's frank and eye-opening discussion of the hidden agenda that drives college admissions and financial aid decisions. Peter Van Buskirk provides an inside view of how applications are processed and reviewed, what admissions staff is really looking for, what catches their attention, and understanding concepts like enrollment management and how financial aid is awarded. I wish I had this book before my kids applied to college -- so I am speaking from experience when I say that this book contains some important and valuable truths that are ignored, misunderstood, or glossed over in other college books.

If you are new to the process, buy this book first -- and if you are in the midst of the process and hopelessly confused.... buy this book. It really will help you cut through the hype and gain insight into how to find the colleges that best meet your needs, and how to put together an application package that maximizes your chance of acceptance.

You have to really want to understand how college admission works to like this book. It is not written in a sensational or glib way like so many "get into college" guides. It gets at the driving forces behind how colleges set enrollment goals and then recruit and admit (or not) to meet them. Van Buskirk's writing is a blend of practical advice and scholarly insights - very challenging and very helpful for students and parents.

The only thing wrong with this book is that I got it when my daughter was a junior and not a freshman or in the eight grade. It is actually two books in one. One is for the student and one for the parent(s). It tells what you should be doing year by year which leads into how the colleges choose their students. It goes into the importance of the student doing the work, the essay and the choosing of the right college for the student. It gives advice on financing, its availability and how to apply for it. It has a realistic "pyramid" on what your chances are to getting accepted at certain schools. The best part is that nothing is held back and it is so very easy to read and to understand. Considering its low price and the amount of money the student and parents are thinking about spending on college this book becomes "a must have" for any family considering college. I also believe it is a book that any teacher or administrator needs to own or have access to.

Peter Van Buskirk was always one of the few admission deans who was willing to tell it like it is. His chapter on "What Colleges is Want" is a gem and could only have been written by someone who spent the better part of his career doing just that. As a school counselor myself, I am weary of books that sensationalize and distort the reality of the admission process. This one lifts back the curtain on college admission and also gives sound counseling that will help both parents and students keep their feet on the ground. Highly recommended.

My daughter loves this book. It has different skill levels in one book which she likes to do. Lots of pictues and coloring.

My son is definitely not the type of kid to enjoy writing or workbooks, but he is pretty happy to work on this book. He likes the diversity of activities (matching, reading stories, writing crosswords, word searches, coloring, drawing pictures etc.) and all of the photographs. He attended a non-didactic kindergarten and will be entering first grade in the fall, so we are using this book to get ready over the summer. I definitely agree with the other reviewer that this book is more suitable for a first grader than a second grader. (My son was born Oct 2001 and started this book in June 2007 after finishing the '1st grade' version in about 6 weeks.)

This is a great workbook It prepares them for second grade. We feel it is very well written and as a fun workbook it hits the mark. My children enjoyed working through this book.Second grade here we come...

This book lists grade 1-2 words in seven groups and gives interesting problems/questions for them. Inside each group, it presents related words together to teach their different uses. Most words have repeating drills for memorizing their meanings. Its colorful pictures attract my child's attention. A well-composed book. But buyers should be careful that it is probably too easy for your 2nd grader. Words listed such as all, him, say, us, your, open, and etc. should go to the 1st grade.

I bought it for my 1st grader and it works great. Knowing there is often such a grade level gap, I go to bookstores to check book content. I also let my child use the online weekly exercises from Beestar (http://www.beestar.org) and compare her level with peers. If you pay attention, you should have a good idea about your child's skill level, not misled by some books.

But overall, this is a good book. I recommend it to 1st graders though.

I almost couldn't put the book down. Finished it in three nights. Anyhow, the writing style is fantastic and the story is compelling. Lots of ups and downs. The best part is that the book is about real people. Definately read this book.

This is not just a book about basketball. Ask anyone who ever played a sport, and they can probably tell you how much their coach influenced their life. At a time in life when boys are becoming men, a positive male role model, whether it be a parent, coach or a teacher, can make all the difference. Neil Swidey's insider's view of the lives of the players, their families and Coach O'Brien was both heartwarming and disturbing. But this is not unique to Boston. All over the country, we continue to spend money building more jails instead of improving our schools, after school programs and parks. This is a good read for young or old. And not just men.

This book juxtaposes basketball and real life. In doing so Swidey provides a multiple perspectives.

Sometimes the reader is present almost as a fellow team member during very private times in the coaches and player's lives; both on and off the court. You know what music they are listening to - the complex dynamics that are playing out under the surface - what they are thinking during emotionally charged situations. The author has an uncanny ability to bring the reader into these young adult's lives.

Other times Swidey provides a 360 helicopter vantage point that allows the reader to see all character's points of view at the same time; and an ability to see how relatively small events in the present; have big consequences as events unfold.

From either point of view the story is compelling. While based around a basketball coach and his team's on and off court struggles - it is more accurately about a good but flawed man's attempt to help good but flawed kids navigate their urban maze.

I am not usually a reader, but I had a hard time putting this book down. Swidey does an excellent job capturing what has been an incredible story in Boston over the past few years. It's about basketball but, it is also about so much more. He describes how the aftermath of school desgregation in Boston has left the public schools in crisis, and how having someone who cares can make such a huge diffrence.

If you will spend 15-20 minutes a day doing the drills, eastern and western, you will really improve. The 123 drill was particularly helpful in reducing my last round by 8 strokes. His drills work they really do!

This is probably the most interesting and helpful golf book I've ever read, and I assure you, I've read many! Kiegiel really gets it, and the idea of what we can learn from Eastern thinking is both fascinating and ultimately rewarding. I couldn't praise this book more. If you need to improve your game, this book will help you immensely. Thank you, Mr. Kiegiel.

I suggest this book for anyone who has a love for the game of golf. It puts simple movements of martial arts into your swing and gives your great results! It's the best.

I got the opportunity to work for Ted Kiegiel at Carolina Country Club while I was in school at NC State University. I got to see him play golf and give lessons. You can really see his results in the game of the junior golfers. I have never seen so many junior golfers shooting so close to par. Everything he teaches is easily understood and easily reproduced in your golf game. Although, I never had the opportunity to get a lesson from Ted himself, I did have the opportunity to get one from one of the assistants. His teaching was similar to Ted's because all of the assistants listen to what Ted says and puts it into their own lessons. Ted Kiegiel has discovered a way to help the average golfer master the game and improve his score tremendously. If you read the book and do what it says, you will be playing balanced golf in no time.

This is the perfect book for a baseball fan (or a historian with an interest in baseball) to have if he's stranded on a deserted island.

I've looked at all the headlines in this book and skimmed some of the stories, but I still haven't read an appreciable portion of the book as a whole.

The detail is so great, and the print on the older newspapers is so small that one really would have to have the luxury of time to read the whole thing.

Essentially, the book is a collection of baseball-theme newspaper headlines from 1857 to 1999. One can appreciate just how far back in time this book takes him when he sees a 1918 Boston Post headline that reads, *Red Sox Are Again World's Champions.*

The RED SOX? Baseball's world champions? AGAIN??????

Now THAT'S ancient history.

But this just isn't a baseball book, and those who can tolerate the baseball but whose historical interests lie elsewhere will take interest in the other slices of Americana that often lie side-by-side with the baseball stories.

The Red Sox story above is actually overshadowed by a headline about 13,000,000 additional draft registrants being called up, even as victory over the Kaiser is within reach.

Right next to the Milwaukee Daily News headline from October 14, 1908 declaring *Cubs Again Champions of the World* (another example of ancient history) is a political cartoon lampooning President Teddy Roosevelt.

The 1921 acquittal of the Chicago *Black Sox* players of conspiring to throw the 1919 World Series accompanies another story about the death of singer Enrico Caruso.

A 1948 headline in the Washington Afro American announcing forty-something Satchel Paige's belated call-up to the major leagues also includes an editorial criticizing Harry Truman's civil rights policies and announcing the assassination of a Haitian editor of a pro-government newspaper.

*Going away?* the ad in the lower left-hand corner asks. *Be sure that the Afro goes with you.*

Ads for tobacco (*Rabbitt Maranville says, *Blackstone is the best smoke on the big league circuit*), chewing gum (*it's good and it's good for you,* the Wrigley's Spearmint Gum ad advises), and health-enhancing elixirs also predominate.

A 1951 story in the Kansas City Star about the boyish Mickey Mantle's standing as heir apparent to the great DiMaggio also proudly announces Satin School Jackets (regularly selling for $7.95) on sale for $4.98. 1951 model Dodges are available at Midwest Motors for only $1666.17.

Moon Mullins and other retro comic strip characters also dot these pages. *Whadd'ya mean he's beginning to get to you?* an irate boxing manager demands of his fighter in the middle of an empty arena. *He's been and gone!* Now THAT'S another animated boxing manager who also isn't going to be saying *we* anytime soon.

There's even a measure of eeriness about some of these headlines. Everyone knows that Joe DiMaggio's famous 56 game hitting strike took place in the pre-war environment that was the 1941 baseball season, so it's startling to see a number of San Francisco Chronicle headlines tracking his hitting streak - that are dated in 1933.

The answer, of course, is that years before DiMaggio electrified the nation with his 56-game streak, he was raising eyebrows on the West Coast with a 61-game streak for the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals. Incredibly, the Chronicle repeatedly gets his name wrong, spelling it as *De Maggio*. The man was born on Fisherman's Wharf, after all. He was a San Francisco native son.

And in another Twilight Zonish moment from 1920, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle proclaims that *Hank Gherrig* (whose bases-loaded homerun won the game for his local high-school) is the Babe Ruth of high school baseball.

The subject, of course, is Lou Gehrig who would set the all-time record for grand slam homeruns (it still stands today) and who would later join Babe Ruth in the Yankees lineup to make up what might still be the greatest homerun-hitting tandem of all time.

Yes, if you've got this collection with you, you have tremendous incentive to find a desert island to be stranded on.

Of course, the stories from the more recent years can be passed over. And retro-baseball also contains some sobering food for thought: 50 years from now; 80-100 years from now; will baseball fans from the future pour over headlines about Darryl Strawberry, Frank Thomas, Alex Rodriguez, Garry Sheffield, and Will Clark - and modernist madness outside the world of baseball - with the same misty glow?

I just received this book for an early birthday present and have not been able to put it down! I have always been a fan of the way's baseball used to be,so I really got into this book.It almost felt like I was in the game! I would recomend this book to any one who loves baseball,or even a young boy just starting out. It really shows true appreciation of the sport.

This book is awesome... First of all, it's huge - about 18" x 12" and 400+ pages. Each page is copy of a newspaper, going back to 1857, with stories about significant events in baseball's history. Reading the non-baseball stories and advertisements is almost as good as the baseball stuff. I highly recommend this book!

I've bought this book, and I thinks it not so bad. If you're into baseball from 1860 to 1950 this one is for you, but the stories from the 60s to the 90s is not so well covered. It is many pages I would like to have, for example more on expansion teams, player's strike, my favourite team the St. Louis Browns and of course stories about unassisted triple plays. In the 80's section the most stories are about world series winners (but not all, both Pete Rose and the Pine-Tar case is there). I would recommend it for every old baseball fan, and of course fans who like to trace the history. Bam's last game is covered, so is The Ironman, and BoSox first win in the WS are also well covered. Ed Gaedel is also one story that I liked. But the author could have add more pages from the modern times of baseball. If you buy this book, be sure to have a magnifying glass, many of the articles are written in very small types

This book is a joy of patterns that are new and different. Not the same old afgan type sweaters and blankets.

I couldn't decide which one to make first.

I love this book! So many cute things for babies and toddlers--girls and boys! The first thing I made I used the yarn used/shown in the book, but I would suggest using more readily available, less expensive yarn when able. I had to order the shown yarn via the internet as it was the only place I could find it, and it was very costly.

I've really enjoyed this book, it's a great source of inspiration and patterns for great baby and little kid items. Recommended!

I have made a number of items from this book - the granny square hat with earflaps and the matching vest, a cardigan (I think you call it a jacket in America), and two dresses. I always find Candi Jensen's patterns are completely accurate and reliable, and the finished item looks EXACTLY like the picture in the book. The guages are spot on and as I am in Australia, I can't always find her recommended yarn but have never had a problem with substituting - you just must make the time to do a couple of swatches to get the guage right. I would rate myself as an experienced crocheter, but I have used her patterns when teaching friends how to crochet and one friend made the cute little boys striped t-shirt and another friend made one of the simpler boy's vests and they also did very well and were thrilled with the results. So if you want a book that is easy to follow and offers plenty of patterns to choose from from beginners to advanced, this is the book for you. The selection of truly adorable outfits are outstanding, and the baby blankets are just fantastic. I have alot of crochet books for children and this is by far my favourite. Will suit you for both boys or girls - some of the best corchet patterns for boys I have seen, and the girls dresses are really pretty.

In this surprisingly compact book, Professor Brennan documents characteristics of the dehumanizing rhetoric which has accompanied so many atrocities of history. His text provides persuasive evidence that the rationalizations used to justify destroying other human beings are rather uncreative, falling into only eight categories. Brennan classifies these alibis of destruction into "Deficient" humans, nonhumans, animals, parasites, diseases, inanimate objects, waste products, and the Orwellian "legal nonperson." He focuses upon the plight of women, European Jews, American blacks, the unborn, and the disabled.

Brennan's commentary on the "semantic gymnastics" by which some people have dehumanized others is sharp, though pedants like myself would enjoy several hundred pages asking whether semantic corruption precedes mass oppression, or merely rationalizes oppressive actions already in progress.

While reading the concluding chapters, I was reminded of Simone Weil's comment that force turns a person into a *thing*, an object, a non-human. Brennan shows us the powerful force of words, those mere utterances that have for too long confined men and women to toil, terror, and death.

Author William Brennan takes a much-needed look at the semantics of oppression. He effectively shows that the language used to justify the treatment of Native Americans by the U.S. government, African Americans prior to the end of slavery, and European Jews during World War II is the same language used to speak of the unborn in today's culture.

This is an eye-opening book and there can be no denying the author's powerful thesis.

William Brennan is a Pro-Life activist who has provided the Right To Life movement with a very useful tool by authoring DEHUMANIZING THE VULNERABLE. Brennan shows how dehumanizing language is used to devalue vulnerable populations such as the unborn and the elderly. The historical examples he offers are quite convincing as he traces the dehumanizing efforts made against women, European Jews, Soviet enemies, African Americans and Native Americans. Opponents of such groups often try to depict them as inanimate objects, waste products, nonpersons and even diseases.

Brennan makes his case with clarity. Anyone interested in Right To Life issues will find this book to be a good investment.

One of my favorite books, Dehumanizing the Vulnerable illustrates how human beings are reduced to non-human status by those who wish to destroy them, and it starts with the power of words. Everyone from unborn babies to people of certain ethnic backgrounds have been the victims of those who were the "pro-choice" movement of the time. ("Pro-choice" in owning a slave, murdering Jews or "terminating" an unborn baby.) This book is relevant not only to those who oppose abortion, but those like myself who oppose the entire spectrum of aggression (including war and the death penalty). Invaluable for all human rights activist, whether your focus is on the rights of humans in the womb,out of the womb---or both.

New Day has a series of eight little action and rhyme books. This one is perfectly suited for a little children's Christmas play. The kids love the action and the repetitive and rhyming nature of the book makes memorization easy. The kids love it.

My three year old granddaughter gives it the thumbs up!

This is another favorite story from Bible in action rhyme. Stephanie Jeffs teams up with illustrator Chris Saunderson in this memorable story of the three wise men from the East, the Star of Bethlehem, and the giving of gifts to the Baby King, Jesus. The brilliant color illustrations, the action movements pictured and the simple narrative all combine to make this a delightful story for the Christmas season.

The search begins with the star, the vision of a new king, traveling from afar, and the discovery of the baby king. As the wise men worship the new found king they bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

"Follow the star with the Wise Men" is a good choice for the advent season. The story can be read by early readers themselves, dramatized, included in family time celebrations, or for bed time reading. A delightful reminder of the message of Christmas.
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake, a Christian Education Consultant

Action and adventures await the reader. The entire series are fun for kids. It is something kids and their parents can do together.

I love this series, Action Rhyme Books, from New Day Publishing. Each part of the Nativity story is accompanied by an action for toddlers through 1st graders to act out - "Point point" to the Star - "Search search" for the King. This could even be the script for a Christmas play; parents might even want a copy for themselves!