Florida Books

I love this book and have bought it for a few friends children. The CD of the song that comes with the book is wonderful! My husband and I are singing along to it in the car! The reason I gave it four stars, is I would have loved for the author to put the words to the song under each alphabet letter in the story. Overall, it has great illustrations and hand movements to go with it.

I purchased this book for my 5 year old daughter who is in PreK. They are singing the Florida Alphabet at their graduation next week. I got to see a practice round of the song at school and learned there was a book and CD package to have her practice at home too. The book is wonderful with beautiful illustrations and all the words for each letter of the alphabet. It shows the arm movements to accompany each letter to make it more fun. The song is very catchy and fun to sing along with. The only problem is the song will be in your head all day! I would recommend this set for any child learning their letters and sounds.

This was an awesome Book and CD set. My class of 4 and 5 year olds love it. We even performed it in our Preschool Graduatioin !!!!

Kids love this book and song. It is really neat watching your child sing along and do the movements shown in the book. My granddaughter who is only 4 learned this song with movements in a day and never stopped singing it for a week. She loves it. I really think it is worth the money. We both sing it now and do the movements and she lets me know if I get something wrong.

We picked up a copy of this book directly from the authors as a gift to my 3 year-old daughter about a year ago. Back then, she wasn't too crazy about books due to her short attention span, so we just read/sang that book and showed her the motions for each letter before bedtime.

Now, only 12 months later, she loves reading this book. We let her pick from her selection of about 60 books each night and this one pops up at least twice a week. What's cool is that she has a lot of fun singing the letters and now she will do the motions with us too. She is just now at the age where she is making the connections between letters and the sounds they make. I suspect she will hit three letter words within a month or two.

If you have trouble getting your kids to find enjoyment in learning their letters, this book will do the trick. But you have to go through all the motions, that's reading, singing and (literally) going through the motions. Pretty soon you AND your child will be having a blast as you teach them to read.

This book is a treasure for anyone planning to visit the Florida Keys, or even those merely interested in a vicarious experience with one of the country's most astonishing destinations. It also lists resources for people who might want to become more involved with environmental issues. Thoroughly researched and full of valuable insights, Deborah Straw's beautifully-written work resonates for readers who consider the ecosystem important.

Deborah Straws book makes visiting the Keys a wonderful natural approach. This is not a book for high end, hotel and restaurant types - if you are looking for recommendations to such. But for those of us that want to view and explore the beauties of nature, this book is number one. No, not meaning it is a camping book. Instead, it is a book for those wanting to explore the Keys - stay where you may but use this book as a source of great and fun ways to see the natural aspect of the Keys.

If Deborah Straw ever leads a trip to revisit her Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys, I would like to know about it. In her book, she brought back many wonderful memories to me of my three years living in Key West, and traveling all over the keys with my family. It was many years ago, in the 50s, when the keys were more alive with flora and fauna than colorful humans who habitate there now. She made it come alive for me again. I read the book in a night, and am rereading it again. Yes, I think she would be a wonderful guide. Take me there, Deborah.

Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys is a friendly, informative companion for a leisurely journey through our country's sultry southern archipelago. Along the way we are introduced to a wide variety of animals, plants, and ecosystems. There are directions for finding beaches, parks, trails, and organizations dedicated to wildlife and habitat preservation. Thumbnail descriptions of various animals that inhabit the Keys pop up from the narrative like furry heads peering through the bushes. Leafing through the pages, one is surrounded by skinks and alligators. Herons and egrets take flight on our approach, and manatees glide gracefully by. We are introduced to forests, mangroves, reefs, and tropical gardens. There are also hints for observing and interacting with the human fauna, such as the quirky characters who inhabit Mallary Square in Key West.

As the days grow shorter and the temperature outside begins to fall, I can imagine myself hopping into a little sports car, cranking down the top, and pointing it south down Route 1. And who better to accompany me than the author, Deborah Straw? She clearly knows her way around, and sprinkles Natural Wonders with anecdotes, local history, and insider's info. Unlike dense travel guides crammed with useless data, Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys is good reading; introspective, humurous, and insightful. You'll enjoy it even if the closest you get to the Keys is Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.

I liked this book so much I've already given it as a gift. It's aimed at those of us who simply want to enjoy wildlife in its natural surroundings without experiencing too much physical discomfort. In an appealing, conversational style Deborah Straw imparts a wealth of information including the history of each Keys area, tour opportunities, camping facilities, parks, wildlife refuges, etc. For example, in the Key West section you learn about walking tours, a glass bottom boat, the beaches, and how to get easily from Miami to Key West without taking an inconvenient car. You can feel in every page the author's deep love and respect for animals of all kinds. She has definite opinions with regard to their treatment and protection, and this compassionate current runs throughout. She tells the would-be visitor about the climate by season, and she even includes warnings about what NOT to do. And, she looks out for the cost-conscious travelor. At the end of the book is a short reading list and a good index. I haven't been to the Florida Keys yet, but when I go, I'll definitely take along this book.

THE RISE AND FALL OF DODGERTOWN: 60 YEARS OF BASEBALL IN VERO BEACH is a specialty item for baseball collections and Vero Beach area residents who enjoy game history. It charts the history of the Dodgers, who have been coming to Vero Beach every spring since 1948, and it tells of an entire culture and community which sprang up around the rise of 'Dodgertown'. Baseball fans will find this an engrossing history.

This book really captures the spirit of Dodgertown and the special bond that grew and splintered between the community of Vero Beach and the Dodgers there. This book is packed with pictures and stories of Dodger greats, past and present. It's a shame they had to leave it, Spring Training will never be the same. But at least it's captured in prose!

This is a fascinating story, well researched by the author and laced with historic pictures. The book is full of anecdotes that vividly evoke the sixty years of Dodgertown and much more. Fay Vincent got it right: "It's a story that deserved telling. Rody has told it--and told it well."

Clearly a labor of love, this book tells not only Dodgertown's story, but baseball's and America's. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys forays into the cultural and economic evolution of the game. While baseball's players and facilities may have undergone dramatic changes through the years, Johnson's love of the sport clearly has not. A masterful work.

Tom

P.S. I also recommend "Spring Training Handbook" which goes to similar lengths to detail baseball's history in Florida.

At exactly the stroke of midnight last night, I read the last page of Dodgertown and laid the book aside. It was a wonderful read. I was sorry it ended.

The book is a winner in so many ways. Obviously, a tremendous amount of research went into it. But at the same time, it wears its research well, never becoming a tome. Knowing virtually nothing about Vero, the Dodgers, or the history of baseball, I kept learning on each page, while growing familiar with the place, the people, and the wonderful mystique of spring training. I really felt I was there.

And so, I was saddened, I mean really moved and at times angry, during those final chapters when everything seemed to fall apart. Your own last pages indicate that you, and probably others, have philosophically come to grips with the passing of the good old days, but for a reader like me, new to it all, it's terribly difficult to let go. I kept wanting to go back to the O'Malley days. I felt personal loss in that I'll probably never be able to experience the special nature of Dodgertown. Oh, sure - another team may come in. For a while it even looked as though it might be the Orioles. But even if the Os' had moved to Vero, the camp wouldn't have been the same.

Notes from the road by author Jan Godown: Since age 13 I have criss-crossed Florida with my family, who never saw a rural route they didn't want to explore. Today I bring my own family to the places where Rawlings and Audubon fished and hunted, and where Muir camped on his 1,000 mile trek to the sea. This guide is informed by my background as a past director of the Florida Folklore Society and Florida Historical Society. It is for shunpikers. It takes you to places where you can renew your spirit. Visit along these routes, write in your journal about a Florida worth protecting, and go forth to teach about it.

Notes from the road by author Jan Godown: Since age 13 I have criss-crossed Florida with my family, who never saw a rural route they didn't want to explore. Today I bring my own family to the places where Rawlings and Audubon fished and hunted, and where Muir camped on his 1,000 mile trek to the sea. This guide is informed by my background as a past director of the Florida Folklore Society and Florida Historical Society. It is for shunpikers. It takes you to places where you can renew your spirit. Visit along these routes, write in your journal about a Florida worth protecting, and go forth to teach about it.

Notes from the road by author Jan Godown: Since age 13 I have criss-crossed Florida with my family, who never saw a rural route they didn't want to explore. Today I bring my own family to the places where Rawlings and Audubon fished and hunted, and where Muir camped on his 1,000 mile trek to the sea. This guide is informed by my background as a past director of the Florida Folklore Society and Florida Historical Society. It is for shunpikers. It takes you to places where you can renew your spirit. Visit along these routes, write in your journal about a Florida worth protecting, and go forth to teach about it.

This book offers all that you need to have a memorable vacation in Florida. There is no chance of getting lost and losing precious time as you drive through the Sunshine State. When I get my drivers license back, I will be able to use this book to the fullest

There are so many instant books about Florida churned out by writers who have merely zipped through the state en route to their next publication date that it is a pleasure to read one by someone actually familiar with the area. Jan Godown is a veteran Tallahassee journalist who has traveled these roads many times, and the reader--whether Floridian or tourist--is the beneficiary. She knows the charms, the history, and the things that threaten these places--not just how many miles they are from the plastic worlds of Central Florida. This book is a keeper on my library shelf--when it's not traveling in the front seat of my car!

I totally enjoyed this book. Not only appreciating all the historical research but the development of the various characters, as well.After the introduction to all specifics of the time and place,I found it to be a real page turner! Nadine Kovar

Combining first-rate scholarship with an almost lyrical prose style, Tom Joseph brings to life the long-vanished world of the Calusa tribe on Florida's Gulf coast in the sixteenth century. This complex society, living in harmony with the land and water, is thrown into turmoil over decades of contact and intermittent conflict with Spanish explorers and missionaries. Ultimately the Calusa disappear from history. Using contemporaneous Spanish accounts, other historical research, and his own knowledge of coastal Florida, Joseph offers a plausible vision of what could have happened, built around a compelling story of love, political intrigue, religious struggle, and power. His images of the islands, mangroves, plants and animals paint a beautiful picture, and his descriptions of the Calusas' and Spaniards' ways of life should fascinate students of history. Some of the characters are historic, others fictional, but all are well-developed and the reader comes to care what happens to them. This first novel thus combines the best qualities of history and fiction. Let's hope we will have more in the future from this gifted writer.

This was a very unusual, interesting book on a subject I knew very little about. The history of these Indian people is fascinating. The author's characterizations were unusually strong and carried throughout the book. The more I read the more I looked forward to getting back to it.

This was a great read. Very descriptive and well researched. I often reread passages in order to savor the beautiful language used by the author. I enjoyed matching up the old place names with the current place names. Also, I am a birder and had fun identifying the birds in the book by their descriptions. I found especially interesting the way the author juxtabposed the Caalus religion and Christianity. The dramatic ending really conveys the anguish and loss of another native civilization decimated by European imperialism. Highly recommended!

True enough. Tom Joseph's first published novel is a hummer of a summer read, but this popular notion that a book should be read on an inflatable raft while sipping a drink through a long straw is limiting. Song of the Tides is sure to be enjoyed in every season for many years. By composing a symphony of violent adventure; absorbing characters like Aesha, the magnetic protagonist; her perilous romance; the lure of myth; and a largely unknown part of Florida history, Joseph emerges as a superb prose stylist. The froth of Conflict between the Calusa Indians, the conquistadors and the Jesuit missionaries blends with gentle descriptions of land and seascapes. As Mozart said, "A compositon must have no extra notes."Joseph uses no extra words. It is a work of bold energy and tender understandings. Best of all, the "Song" is story, one so affecting, you'll want to read it again and again. Listen for its spell-binding notes. Don't wait for summer.

A surprise-package of superior recipes, using fresh regional ingredients. Even in a land-locked city, these recipes work. Frequently, a simple twist - imagined by a seasoned chef - lofts standard foods to mouth-watering levels. Once discovered, this book will be treasured.

I especially enjoyed this cookbook with some of the most creative yet simple recipes, from the premier restaurants, resorts and luxury hotels. Rarely do you get a "who's who" of chefs providing the most delicious recipes in one cookbook. This cookbook gives one the opportunity to test his/her culinary skills and impress those coming together to enjoy good food. I can't wait try the recipes and enjoy the outcomes with family and friends.

An outstanding cookbook, one I refer to often for casual dining and entertaining. Emphasis is on seafood, poultry and pasta. Most of the recipes are provided by the most highly regarded chefs from Florida's finest restuarants and resorts. If you love cooking (and great eating) you will love this book. I bought two in Williams-Sonoma since I knew my sister would "borrow" one. (About 80% of the recipes are relatively easy, 20% are slightly more difficult. All are excellent!)

M. Prudhomme

Every now and then you come across a special cookbook. This is my bible of cookbooks. I refuse to let it out of my sight! Keep in mind that these are restaurant recipes, so you might need to cut the ingredients in half. Everything is pretty easy and does not extend futher than basic cooking skills. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

I don't care for cookbooks that are filled with recipes that are too difficult, or calling for ingredients I rarely used.

The Special Taste of Florida was recommended by a friend in Colorado who owns a condominium in Florida. I have in turn recommended the book to a number of other friends throughout the country. This is a indeed a special book.

Of the 400 recipes in the book, I would say 75% are absolutely outstanding..easy to prepare with wonderful taste. With over 200 cookbooks in my collection I would put this one in the top ten without hesitation.

Well written account of hiking trip for such a long distance. Sometimes too wordy on spirtual themes.

As well as a resource-full account of Eb's travels, this is also a very entertaining book. Full of daily quotations, poetic descriptions of the landscape and people, and, more than anything, uplifting. Congratulations on a job well-done, Eb. Not just the trip, but its recording for the rest of us.

I received my copy today and I'm up to page 100. It is a blend of humor, a man's journey, and numerous inspiring quotes...that makes me want to hit Eastern Mountain Sports and start the hike. Someday I plan to hike the Triple Crown, etc. Cheers to this man who has had the desire, dream and drive to complete an epic journey and share it with the world. Thanks for a great read and giving me another glimpse into long-distance hiking.

What a wonderful and inspiring book!! If you are a backpacker, outdoorsman, or a couch AT hiker, this book is very enjoyable. Eb makes you feel like you are walking every step with him. The book also helps one to realize the "kindness" and generosity of the American and Canadian people. It was uplifting to read a 500+ page book without one bit of negativity toward anyone by the author. Thank you Nimblewill!

Wow! That's really "Hit the road Jack". I live near the Florida Trail but swamp wading with the snakes and the gators? No way Jose! But I am totally enjoying it from my armchair. Go get them. You are a better man than me Charlie Brown!

The Treasure of Amelia Island is a historical fiction novel for young readers with an accompanying reader's guide including chapter prereading questions and predictions, discussion questions, and suggestions for essays and projects. Set in the Spanish territory of Florida during the early 1800s, The Treasure of Amelia Island follows the Kingsley family - Zephaniah, who married the black slave Ana Jai and freed her from slavery along with their children, including young Mary Kingsley. Patriots from the United States of America sought to lay claim to Florida, with the intent of making it into a slave state. The Patriots did not care that Zephaniah had freed his wife and children. Amid this tense political backdrop, Mary Kingsley decides to set out in search of a legendary pirate treasure with her brother George and her half-brother Diego. An exciting adventure ensues, in this captivating story written with close attention to historical detail. The Treasure of Amelia Island is especially recommended for middle school libraries.

M.C. Finotti has put together a gem of a book with this offering. Through the young girl / narrator Mary, Finotti has skillfully woven together the everyday lives and dreams of the characters with the historical events that drive the plot forward. This makes for a story that is exciting and educational at the same time, no easy accomplishment and a true sign of fine work in the genre of children's historical fiction.

And while the history lesson is there, the ideas Finotti brings to light in that context can be used as a springboard for discussions of issues relevant to young readers today. The extended Kingsley family would certainly be called multi-racial, "non-traditional," or combined by today's definitions, an experience that many of today's readers would know first-hand. Racial inequality and class differences are presented in a very matter-of-fact, almost jarring way (Ana Jai is a former slave who now owns slaves herself) that are tailor-made for debate, and even the political strife of the Spanish Loyalists in Florida and the Patriots in Georgia could be used as a primer to introduce the current concept of today's "Red and Blue" states.

Finally, although the history and characters presented are "Florida-centric," the book is by no means narrow or parochial, and should be enjoyed by young readers everywhere.

Through the author's story-telling, the history comes alive, as if you were there with Mary, Diego and George. The book is fast-paced with action happening in every chapter. The sights and smells are vivid; I can almost taste the ambrosia dessert. Living in Jacksonville, Florida, I can't wait to explore the St. John's River and visit the Kingsley plantation from a different perspective.
As a former teacher, I found the reader's guide to be an excellent resource. The discussion questions encourage the reader to analyze the action and motives of the characters. The essays and projects are great ideas to stimulate students' minds and enhance their creative writing and cognitive skills.
Students will find they enjoy history, when told in such an engaging way.

I loved the book so much. After three chapters of reading you feel like you have known all the characters for a long time. This exciting adventure is a great book for all ages 9+. - PD McCawley, Atlantic Beach FL

The Treasure of Amelia Island is very interesting and contains a lot of action. After reading this book my grandparents, brother and I went to Kingsley Plantation. Kingsley Plantation is where Ana Jai lived for some of her life. The Treasure of Amelia Island is a very good book for classes to read together because it is historical fiction and NOT boring. Another reason this is a great book is that I live in Florida and I thought it was cool to learn about what Florida was like when it was still ruled by Spain. This book is great for all readers. I shared it with my 3rd, 4th and 5th grade class who all loved it. My mom also enjoyed this so much that she read it to my 5 year old brother who did not want her to stop reading it to him.

Having lived in the Caribbean, I am hard to please when it comes to our dishes...they have to taste "just right" and be authentic. This cookbook definitely has many recipies that are very familiar to me. True island cooking at its best! You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Gwaan an enjoy it!

My wife loves the fact that I like to cook. Our kitchen shelves are filled with cookbooks and most have a few recipes that I like. Tropic Cooking is one that I consistently use and everyone, including my kids, loves the results.

The Florida Avocado Dip is wonderful, I usually leave off the olives though.

Pork Chops Negril is a sweet treat that just takes a few minutes to create. It's perfect for an evening when you're strapped for time.

Potatoes Bonaventure is always a hit at pot lucks, I think it's the pastrami that catches peoples attention as well as tickles their tastbuds.

If you can get fresh ripe tomatoes that don't taste like cardboard then one of these two recipes are wonderful.

Broiled Tomatoes with Mushroom Bits.

Fried Tomatoes.

I wish I was more of a dessert person because some of these sound wonderful. Cicely's Baked Bananas was an experiment once for a dessert party and it was very well received. I took home an empty plate which is always a good sign.

I highly recommend Tropic Cooking!

I have a libary of cookbooks and "Tropic Cooking" is the one I constantly use.

Love this cookbook. Recipes are from the Caribbean, as well as a number of Florida's best restaurants. I use this book all the time and have for years. It's fun!

This is one of the best, easy-to-follow cookbooks and guides on how to cook lowfat, delicious Caribbean foods. I was the "hit" of many dinner events with family and guests using this great guide to unique and delicious recipes. I recommend "Tropic Cooking" by Joyce LaFray for the experienced chef or the novice cook who's looking for an easy to follow, hard to find cook book to yummy Island dining.

For the past three summers we have taken this book with us, along with our 2 young boys-6 and 9, and have visited many of the places Bruce writes about and highlights in the book-the historical facts and tidbits of information he provides is very interesting and makes you feel more connected to the place you are visiting. My idea of a vacation is not trekking it to Orlando and all the theme parks! I grew up in South Florida, but was not aware of many of the places he talks about in Florida and how beautiful they are. In each new town we visit, we try to eat in at least one restaurant that he mentions-they have all been excellent recommendations! I love how at the end of the book he talks about his favorite all time places-we make a special point to try these out. We just returned from a 2 week vacation where we travelled the west coast of Florida and the Panhandle. We went all the way from the beautiful west coast beaches to Seaside, FL, traveling the backroads instead of taking the interstate. Everytime we visit somewhere I check it off in the back of the book. I can't wait until they are all checked and I can go back to the ones I loved the most!

This book depicts a side of Florida rarely seen. Although in the last 50 years or so Florida has experienced unparalled growth at the hands greedy developers and susceptible politicians, this book proves that some of what makes Florida great still exists. Small towns such as Arcadia, Cedar Key, and LaBelle are mirrors into Florida's past, preserving the diverse history of our state while retaining their small-town character. One of things that surprised me the most about this book is the fact that there are still some small towns on the Florida coast. Towns like Boca Grande and St. George Island prove that a sustainable coastal community can be retained without high-rise condos and tacky tourist shops. Nonetheless, most of the towns depicted here are in the interior of the state, which for the most part has retained its small town character (with the exception of Orlando, a true eye-sore smack dab in the middle of the state). Tourists should buy this book to appreciate the true Southern flavor of a state taken over by Yankees. I should know--I'm a fifth-generation Florida cracker!

Be sure to look for the newer edition (2003) as it covers 70 small towns. I started out thinking I would just dip into this, and read a few pages here and there. Then it turned out to be so interesting with Florida history, local tidbits, interesting people and architecture, that I read it straight through.
Now I can't wait to visit Havana to see the antique shops or to see the 36 murals in Lake Placid.
Some of the towns merely have interesting names (Yeehaw Junction) or a single sight, but many sound worthwhile for a day trip or longer visit. Probably should keep this book in the car while in Florida and check it occasionally to see if you are near any of these interesting places.
It is arranged by regions (north, central and south),

Be sure to look for the newer edition (2003) as it covers 70 small towns. I started out thinking I would just dip into this, and read a few pages here and there. Then it turned out to be so interesting with Florida history, local tidbits, interesting people and architecture, that I read it straight through.
Now I can't wait to visit Havana to see the antique shops or to see the 36 murals in Lake Placid.
Some of the towns merely have interesting names (Yeehaw Junction) or a single sight, but many sound worthwhile for a day trip or longer visit. Probably should keep this book in the car while in Florida and check it occasionally to see if you are near any of these interesting places.
It is arranged by regions (north, central and south),

I took this book along when we went to Florida over Thanksgiving. While we did the usual Orlando stuff, we also visited several of the towns listed in the book. It was a great experience to see what is "off the beaten path". Small towns with everyday people going about their daily business, much like our own home town. It was nice to walk through shops and sit down at restaurants that didn't have a "theme". If you are going to Florida, I highly reccomend it as a travel guide.