Miniatures Books

This is a beautiful story of a little boy and a snowman that comes to life --all music -no words --it's very sweet and relaxing -my three year old twins love it! (so do their mom & dad!)

One of the great Christmas movies. I had to buy a new copy as the other was worn out.

I bought a copy of this book to have at home when our nearly two-year-old grandson comes to visit, and he loved it so much I immediately sent for another for him to take home with him. There are many board books, but not many classy ones. This one is. It has plenty (over 35) of lift-the-flaps to explore, but there is so much more, too. The illustrations are beautiful, with muted colors, both indoor and outdoor scenes, and both active and quiet activities. There are lots of things to count on each page, and items of different colors, too, so toddlers can practice these skills. The best is the last double-page spread, with all the houses with flaps. You can look inside each one and see what the people are doing. Our grandson loves all his books, but this one is special, and he loves to sit by himself and look at it, lifting all the flaps, as well as have someone read it with him. It's a truly fine book.

This has been a favorite of mine for years. It is perfect for 1 to 3 year olds. The one with words is great for the older ones.

This book is great for kids who have not learned to read yet or struggles with the written word. It allows them to tell their own story with their own words, as it is a book with pictures only! It encourages verbalization and communication skills. I am an educator and use it in the elementary grades -- one of my favorites!

A nice little book filled with overworked and obvious little sayings. Enlightenment for 10 year olds.

This has become pretty much one of my favorite books. Open Your Mind, Open Your Life contains clearly written thoughts that are simple yet immediately strike a deep chord. The statements are common sense yet inspiring and profound, beginning with the very first sentence. The thoughts are encouraging and helped me to realize I don't have control over certain things and to let got of them.

I liked it so much that I have recommended it to about five of my friends and they in turn have recommended it to others and given the book as a gift. Because this mini version was so wonderful I also recently bought the larger version, which I have yet to read.

This book is a wonderful collection of ideas and thoughts which can guide one on life's journey. It seems to gently remove the word "enigma" from life as it profoundly teaches with simplicity and depth.

Each thought is incredibly powerful mainly because this collection touches and challenges not only one's mind, but it also reaches the heart and the spirit.

It seems that westerners have difficulty in knowing how to live life, and the eastern philosophers just have the innate ability to do so. We are too focused on analysis and we are not very action oriented, while they offer the path and emphasize the action. Knowledge without action is really useless.

If you want to recapture the magical warmth and joy of discovery, and smile as you ponder these words of wisdom, buy this book. It's inspiring, and well worth it's small price!

"Genuine happiness, or enlightenment, is already within us; we have only to reveal it. As spring water rushes through open earth, so happiness flows through open lives." - Taro Gold

In just a few words of a good quote, you see the big picture or universal truth. This is a collection of Eastern Wisdom and contains quotes by Buddhist and Eastern thinkers such as Nichiren, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Taro Gold sees these quotes as "guideposts." He believes in having an open mind and in illuminating your life's path with wisdom from great thinkers.

Taro also includes:

The Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds
Short Allegories
Short Biographical paragraphs of Historical Figures quoted in this book
Longer passages for reflection
Common Sense Quotes
Universal Truths
Eastern Wisdom

An Iris represents Faith, Hope, Wisdom and Valor. Not only is the cover beautiful and filled with this flower, the entire books is beautifully illustrated in an ornate fashion. Almost every page has a beautiful border and then the quotes are in black ink and easy to read on cream-colored paper.

I've been contemplating the reality of how we become what we think. Lately I've been watching how my own thoughts change my behavior.

Taro Gold has included a wonderful quote from Mahatma Gandhi about this:

"Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny."

This beautiful book will have me contemplating "thoughts" for a long time! An enjoyable collection of quotes to reflect on in moments when you want to think more deeply about life and your own journey to lasting happiness.

A book you will love adding to your collection.

This is by far the best little book of wisdom I've ever found. Packed with hundreds of uplifting thoughts and advice, I keep copies of it around to give away as well as to read from every day.

This book is highly Recommended! Very Inspiring!

It reveals to the reader the treasure that is within, if you would but search a little deeper instead of looking else where or to others. It causes you to really think and tap into the hidden gifts and potential that is on the inside of oneself. 5 KUDOS!!!

Lanesa Stubbs

Timeless wisdom. Proves once again the principles of success do not need to be re-invented. Everything needed to be successful in life has already been written, and is available to all of us! Excellent

First given as a lecture at the beginning of the 1900's, the inspirational thoughts contained in "Acres of Diamonds" are still as relevant today as ever.




Consider how the following passage plays into today's headlines, "I hear sometimes of men that get millions of dollars dishonestly.





But, they are so rare a thing, in fact, that the newspapers talk about them all the time as a matter of news until you get the idea that all the other rich men got rich dishonestly." The Reverend Conwell of the Baptist Temple Church in Philadelphia was so successful in attracting people to his "Acres of Diamonds" lectures that he made enough money to found Temple University.





How Religion and Capitalism work together and how money could be made right in one's backyard if a person knew of a need and did something to meet that need were the tenets of Conwell's lectures. Conwell's inspirational examples of success are worth a look.





Spend a lunch hour, a commute in or back from work or another quiet break in the day to read Conwell's stories of those who missed finding diamonds and gold in their own backyards because they were too busy focusing on finding their fortune in faraway lands. Since the book is under 100 pages, even if you don't find your eyes have been opened a little wider, at least you haven't wasted much time giving the stories a try.

Poor copy of a great text. Author's name is misspelled on the cover. How could that happen? Text looks like a computer copy with spacing problems. Choose a different edition or publisher.

At 64 pages from cover-to-cover, "Acres of Diamonds" is probably the shortest book I've read in a long time. Written by Baptist minister and founder of Temple University, Russell H. Conwell, this book originated as one of his sermons, which was so popular that it was published as a book.

"Acres of Diamonds" is based on a parable told to Conwell by an Arab guide during a trip to the Middle East. The parable tells the story of a man who sells his farm to search the world for diamonds. The man dies in poverty and wretchedness far from his home, not knowing that his farm sat on the richest diamond mine in the world.

It is easy to think that great things are only accomplished by other people in faraway places. Conwell argues that we can all accomplish great things wherever we are. He gives many examples of regular people who accomplished great things. After all, he says, even a great man like Abraham Lincoln was just "Abe" to his neighbors.

I believe this book was first published in the early 1900s, so the writing style is kind of old-fashioned and Conwell refers to people and products that were prominent during his time, but have less meaning to people today. There are no chapters or other structure to the book (of course it's only 64 pages long).

Despite these minor complaints, the book has a great message. You can accomplish great things where you are right now. You don't have to move to New York, Los Angeles, or Paris. Whether you're in Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Portland or Shreveport, there are "acres of diamonds" below your feet.

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Michael Mihalik is the author of Debt is Slavery: and 9 Other Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me About Money. Learn how to gain control of your finances, pay off your debt, and create financial security!

we have very few babar books. he died so young, and his family cannot cut it. the later books are so bad that they're offensive. but this is the first and it works. the only sad thing about it is that babar was not brunhoff's brain child but his wife's and she has never gotten credit for it. she created the elephant as bedtime material for their children. he retold them well, and illustrated them as his children cannot but she should have been co-author at the very least! our kids love this book and the characters and if adults poke holes they can keep quiet. remember, this was told in another day and age and must be read accordingly.

My 3 1/2 year old son loves this book. It's quite a long story and takes about 10 to 15 minutes. I actually never "read" the story to him, I tell the story in my own words, also because at one point, the mother of Barbar is shot my hunters. I tell my son, that Barbar's mother tripped and Barbar took the opportunity to run away. The rest of the book is marvellous and seems to touch children's longings and imagination, which I as a grownup can not always understand, but seeing how much my son enjoys the story is all I need to know. For some time now my son wants me to tell him the story every evening before going to bed.
The drawings are easy to understand, which makes this book even more precious to young children.

I am in the process of reading Babar to my fourth grandchild, and she loves it! I grew up with the magical story and timeless pictures, as did my kids. My 19-month old granddaughter likes to sit on my lap for what she calls "Bar-Bar." The pages of Babar going for a drive and the wedding party with all the animals are great to play "Where's the....?"

Uh, classic or not, I don't care for this book. It's yet another kill the mom book -just lioke all the disney stuff starts out. I don't think this is a good choice for today's wee ones. This is NOT what I'd choose to read at bedtime with my kids at all.

I had this Babar book as a child and could not resist buying it for my daughter, and I am so happy that I did. This book is so incredible, the pictures and colors so vibrant and the text so incredibly addictive, that your child wil carry it with her forever. I know I have. I was stunned by how much of the dialogue and how many of the pictures I remembered. This book is a reasure that you and your children will share for years to come. Some people my comment about some of the themes, but as a child they went over my head, and as an adult, I recognized how tastefully done they are. Highest possible recommendation

If you're new to dogs or isn't quite familiar with basic dog psychology, dog habits, dog health etc, then this book's for you.

It's a nice reference guide to the basics. It even shows you how to train your dog with basic commands for sit, stay, come and more--for a really good training DVD though, I'd recommend Train Your Dog - The Positive Gentle Method because sometimes, it's just better to see it in action than just read how it's done.

I recently re-read this book after 6 years (and getting a second dog) and I can honestly say it's a good book for covering all the basics of getting and owning a dog. I recommend it as a staple item for your dog-book library second only to the Dog Bible by Tracie Hotchner.

I never owned a dog,we currently have 2 cats; so when my son(9) started to ask for a dog, I wanted to do my homework before taking that leap. This book is excellent. Our whole family read it and it is easy and fun to read, but full of essential information. Everything from choosing the right breed, to more of the detailed physical care every puppy/dog needs. It also gives you a fair picture what commitment is needed to be a responsible dog-owner.
We particularly liked the authors commitment to older dogs and shelter dogs, that's the way we will go. I'm sure we will use the book once we have a dog, there are chapters on health care and training as well as feeding - your dog should be a healthy and happy dog if you head this advice. Suggestion: add a breed specific book if you decided on a pure breed to get the finer details.

Clearly written, good information and good overview of info new dog owners will need. However,could use more detail in several sections such as obedience or manners training.

This book, along with "Dog Training" for Dummies, should be manditory reading for most dog owners, who have little solid education or experience in dog behavior and training. I am a senior volunteer & trainer at a major metro shelter. I specialize in working with Behavioral Evalution dogs. I interact with hundreds of different problem dogs a year and the core information in these two books have helped me immensely. The reason dogs are "bad dogs" is becuase they have untrained and unskilled lazy owners who let them get away with way too much and don't re-inforce pack order via regular basic obiedance training. This series, combined with the Dog Wisperer videos, should literally be government mandated reading/watching for dog owners. If you want to get your dog(s) under control, or keep your new dog on the right path, these books are a must and easy read. Hope this helps!

Summary: A poor, barefoot, little girl is sent out on New Year's Eve to sell matches. As the cold and hungry girl awaits a sell, she lights the matches to keep warm. With the matches lit, illusions occur. As with all illusions, the light goes out on them and the little girl is faced with a grim reality.
The classic author depicts a memorable theme. The setting the author uses is intricately depicted giving the reader an almost live impression of the book's reality. As the character leaves reality and passes into fantasy, the author further impresses the setting with careful detail. The time of "New Year" stabs at the reader's soul with their own memories of Christmas.
The movie is equally wonderful.~The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (The Red Shoes / The Little Match Girl)

Book was sent in great condition and in a timely manner. I would use the service again.

I first saw this story as a cartoon on tv. It made me cry a lot. It's a very sad story. However, it has a very powerful messages in terms of love, care, poverty, cruelty and dreams. I gave an assignment to my ELD students in high school and some students even told me how touchy the story was. I love the pictures in this book. It's really creative. Overall it's a great, sad story for all ages.

I want to agree with another reviewer that the meaning of the book for me was to look within for our own rich resources. That we can transform our own world if we transform our minds. The young girl used her imagination to picture herself out of the situation until it happened. Law of Attraction? Maybe from today's perspective. I just took it to mean that in this time in my life I have to go within to transform my own situation. God knows, I tried everything else :)

I was read the Spanish version "La Pequena Vendedora de Fosforos."

This is one of my favorite stories to hear at Christmas-time. It really reminds you to be thankful of all that you have. My grandmother read this story to all of her grandchildren every year on Christmas Day. This story holds fond memories for me. Since she is no longer here to read the story to us, and now all of the grandchildren are adults, I wanted to have a copy of the story so that when I have children one day, I can read it to them. I want to carry on the tradition.

This book is actually for both advanced and beginners. New ideas and has pictures to illustrate those ideas. Would recommend.

I've gone from zero knowledge about cats to a wealth of information in a matter of hours. It's given me the confidence to be a first time cat owner soon. Highly recommended.

This is a valuable source of information for first time cat owners as well as long time lovers of the furry ones! We knew practically nothing about caring for kitties and now feel that we are enlightened and well informed.

Item was in good condition with a crease in the cover that was not noted in its description. Otherwise, the book was great.

I'm not a cat lover - I just love our cats. We went to the shelter to pick up one (selected a female kitten), and upon noticing a "two-for-one" weekend, decided to get a second (male kitten - turned out to be the more affectionate and venturesome one). That was an incredibly correct major act - the two keep each other entertained far better than my wife and/or I could. "Cats for Dummies" also recommends having two cats, but buried in the middle of the book it doesn't communicate the importance of this decision.

As for toys, "Cats for Dummies" is absolutely right - their favorite toys are the plastic rings from milk bottles and baby food jars; further, they never tire of a new set of rabbit-fur-covered brightly colored "mice."

However, early in our indoor cats' lives it became apparent that they were getting a bit bored, looking more than a bit longingly outside, and wanting to climb the $600 drapes. So, under the guise of "enrichment," we let them out. It took awhile, but now it is by far their favorite activity, and they no longer threaten the drapes, etc. However, one has to be very careful - a hawk and three coyotes have taken an interest in our house (and cats), so we have to be on the look-out and spend much time outside with them. Getting them back in, of course, is a bit of a challenge - this is impossible with less than an hour outside, and only accomplished (with some difficulty) after that by immediately feeding them baby food. Night-time outside play is an absolute no-no! (None of this good information is in "Cats for Dummies.")

Finally, while both cats love tree-climbing, neither knows that the best way to come down is tail-first. This has led to a few crashes - anyone know how to teach them this? And as for "wildness," the neighbor's Bengal cat is beyond belief - much more athletic and adventuresome than regular cats (contrary to what "Cats for Dummies" seems to say) - unfortunately, the coyotes got it.

For fans of the Mark Manning series, this will rank high on the favorites list. Craft gives an interesting display of the minature world of hobbies along with a challenging web of mystery. Clues begin popping up in early pages, but most readers will have to stayed glued to the unfolding chapters to find the murderer. A well-researched and plotted mystery.

He's back and better than ever. Now firmly ensconsed as publisher a small Wisconsin town's newspaper and as his young cousin's guardian, Mark seems more settled than in past installments, but he's still as perceptive and exciting as ever. With long-time partner, Neil, in town as an architect overseeing the town press's plant, he's more present than ever, and it's nice to see how readily he and Thad (their ward) have formed a relationship, one that Mark's initially a little jealous of. Neil serves as a rock for Mark and Thad.

The town's leading miniature proprieter has organized a combo show-and-tell and seminar, and has lured the best in the business to serve as judge. When said judge is found dead, there is the initial shock, and annoying DA Harvey Kaiser looking for someone to convict, whatever the cost. The prime suspect? The town's sheriff, Doug Pierce, Mark's friend and a closeted gay man who was carrying on a torrid affair with the deceased.

The town's loyalties soon become divided. Add into the mix an upcoming obscenity trial with many political consequences. Craft has done an excellent job fleshing out these characters. You actually understand them, their insecurities and their strengths. He's also delivered a wide array of possible suspects and does good work making the actual villain NOT obvious. Isn't that nice for a change? Highly recommended.

In NAME GAMES, Michael Craft's fourth novel in this series Mark Manning has settle in in Dumont, Wisconsin, has taken over the reins fo the local newspaper, his lover Neil is in town working as an architect for the local printing company, and the two of them are finding they like being the parents of Thad, the sixteen-year-old they have "inherited" when his mother was brutally murdered in volume three of the series, less than a year ago. The peace and tranquility will not last for long, however. Grace Lord, owner of The Nook, a shop specializing in furniture for dollhouses, has scheduled an annual regional exhibition of the Midwest Miniatures Society for the people who design and collect these dollhouses or "roomboxes." Any writer who can write an interesting story about such an unusual subject-- and that's putting it nicely-- obviously can write about anything. Carroll Cantrell, the outrageously gay and national authority on these little houses, soon after he arrives to judge the competition, is found brutally murdered in Ms. Lord's carriage house. Pierce, the friendly local sheriff whom we know from the previous mystery is outed as a gay man when he turns up as a suspect since he has been sleeping with Cantrell since his arrival in Dumont.

In addition to Neil, Thad and Pierce, Roxanne, Mark's attorney friend; Lucille and Glee, newspaper employees; the local DA Kaiser and Marian of Fem-Snach make return appearances as well.

As usual, Mr. Craft takes on bigotry against gay people and voices his support for free speech. (Kaiser, who is up for reelection, forms an alliance with Marian in an effort to close down the adult bookstores.) Of course we have Mark's erotic dreams to add some spice to the narrative too.

I do not usually figure out "who done it" but I did this time. I'm not sure if that says something good about me or something less than excellent about this novel. At any rate, it's always a pleasure to read Mr. Craft. I'm ready to begin volume five of the series.

Name Games is book four in the Mark Manning Series. Mark Manning is a newspaper publisher. He once again had to come to the rescue and solve a murder. This time, there were many suspects, including the Sheriff, the Sheriff's deputy, the DA and a retired physician, just to mention a few. As always, the book read so well, that I felt I was there, and could actually see everything that was described.

The origin of the term Name Games comes out in the story. It is mentioned a couple of times. This book is a winner! You will not regret buying it! Enjoy!

By the way, my name would be Rusty LaRue! Now you will have to read the book to find out what that means!

NAME GAMES is a fascinating and exciting addition to the Mark Manning Mysteries. The plot lines keep getting better and more complex. This particular book is replete with clues for the "wanna-be" slueth in all of us, and a careful reading will provide the reader with all he or she needs to "figure-it-out". Porn, sex, "outing", and murder all add up to a fun read. Don't miss this one.

I grew up in the 70's ... I had this book it was my mother's in the 50',s and her mother's in the 20's .... it hastens back to a wonderful time of imagination and literacy in children as well as their parents ... really lovely book .. A wonderful swing ride into a time past, and the land of nod

Just love the works of Robert Louis Stevenson. Loved them
as a child and still do. And the illustrations are
wonderful - reminds me of when I was a little girl, and
we sometimes need that.

The poems are charming and the illustrations are beautiful. I like it as much today as I did when I was a child.

My kids, 6 and 4, were not thrilled with the book either. Their interest in the book revolves around the illustrations--why do the boys look like girls, why are they wearing sailor suits, and where are the pirates?

At any rate, even if your child does not enjoy the poetry, it is a good opportunity for kids to learn about what life was like for children a long time ago--what they wore, the games they played, and how they lived.

This is a beautiful book, using some of the same artwork as the book I grew up with in the 1940's, and enhanced by other works of art. The poetry, although from another age, still appeals to children with its beautiful rhythms and clever rhymes.

A Child's Garden of Verses has always been one of my favorite books, and over the years I've given dozens of copies of it as First Birthday presents to the new children in my life. This is the most beautiful edition I have ever seen of these beloved poems. The illustrations are wonderful! They're taken from numerous editions over the years, and they cover a variety of styles and time periods. I couldn't be happier with this book, and I can't wait for the opportunity to give it to more children who I hope will grow to love it as much as I do.

The world is so full of a number of things
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.

The Player's Handbook is the main advantage, I had the 3.0 Ed, this way I got the 3.5 version.
The dice set is not quite very good, dark colors, not so visible in dim light.
Didn't try yet the adventures, the miniatures pack is a bonus, still, they are not suited to represent the characters.

This box is literally all a player of D&D needs. There are other necessary books, but those are the DM's responsibility. For twenty bucks you can get the necessities for players: the Player's Handbook and a full set of dice. The PHB, while softcover, is otherwise identical to the hardcover version, and the dice are excellent and very cool. Since the list price of the softcover PHB is the same as Amazon's price for the Player's Kit, everything else in the box is essentially free.

That being said, all you really need is the PHB and the dice. If you're just starting, though, the other stuff is helpful too. The miniatures can be fun and useful, even though they're technically for a separate game.

I recommend this kit to absolutely any D&D player, old or new

I just started playing a couple of months ago. There are no superstitious *don't touch my dice* kind of gamers in the group, and up until getting this, I had been borrowing dice and the PHB as needed. It got really annoying and I even missed out on bonuses as I leveled up because I didn't have time to do it right. (Of course, I didn't know what I missed until I actually got my own book and could take the time to look stuff up.)

The soft-cover handbook is just like the hardcover except it's not as easy to write on (the table is often full of snacks). I like the feel of the dice and how they have several D6 so I don't have to borrow them from others. I don't like that the colors of the dice don't match exactly and that they come in only a plastic zip-lock type bag which pops open in my pocket.

I agree with what someone else said about the character sheets-it would have been nice to have more of them although I can always copy what's in the book. I don't use the minis, either, but, I like them.

Overall, for what I needed, this worked and even though I was just looking and wasn't really planning to buy, it was a good package deal that had everything I needed at a good price. I'm happy with the purchase.

This set is probably one of the best bangs for your buck around. Not only do you get a copy of the Player's Handbook (worth the whole cost of the set by itself), there is a really nice set of dice and a booster pack of discontinued minis. If anyone needs a PHB, this is the way to go.

The PHB is a necessity to any D&D adventurer. You really need your own so your not fighting over them every time you level up or gain some treasure. You also really need your own dice. This set combines the two for cheaper than you could get them separately. You even get some miniatures to boot. EXCELLENT!!!