Schools Books

Some of the writing is uneven, the plot a little bit disjointed, but in fairness to the author, he is writing from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy.

This book is vitally important, because there still isn't much in the way of non-fiction written by grown men who were abused as children. Their needs are completely different from those of girls. Pelzer's reaction to being placed into his first foster home - literally bouncing off the walls, jumping on all the beds, is perfectly normal behavior for a boy who has been abused. At times, boys taken into foster care are doubly abused, by well-meaning caretakers who don't understand the unique temperament of the abused male child.

In my view, the system very nearly failed Pelzer by shifting him from one placement to another, often at the last minute. However, his positive attitude is truly inspiring, and he has only praise for the social workers and foster parents he dealt with as a child.

It is impossible for a normal person from an intact Brady-bunch family to understand why a child, placed into a loving and safe second home, would start acting insane and doing everything they could to get kicked out of that home. It's a child's fantasy that holds out even into teenage years, that somehow, being kicked out of a foster home means that they're one step closer to going home, even if deep down, they honestly know that they can't ever live with their parents again.

I highly recommend this book to any person considering becoming a foster parent, and for people who are employed as caretakers in group homes or who work with children and young adults in placement. The writing style is easy enough to appeal to even a middle-school age child, especially one that is already in foster care.

I also enjoyed this book as much as A Child Called "IT". This also made me cry as much as as the first one. I could not put it down as well.

This book among others written by Dave have left me riveted. I can't put them down. All I see is a man who has overcome the circumstances placed before him. He is such an inspiration, I only wish more people would read his books and make something out of their lives, instead of playing the victim (which is much easier to do)

The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer is a sequel to the heartbreaking memoir, A Child Called "It". Pelzer explains what happened after he was taken away by his abusive mother and neglectful father. This book is really uplifting and moving. I highly recommend this fascinating story and his quest to find a foster family who will love him unconditionally. Enjoy!

This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.

Absolutely loved it! I have ordered two more books by this author and am sure it won't be the last.

Now that was a good book. Larry McMurtry is an amazing writer, so whitty. I fell in love with the characters; so much that it's been weeks since I read the book and I still can't stop thinking about them.

What a summer ride I've been on reading Lonesome Dove. I don't know where I've been the last 15 years to only now discover this absolutely amazing story. I smiled, laughed, and cried my way through it. I will surely miss the Hat Creek Cattle boys keeping me up at night. What an adventure!

Though published in 1985, this classic reached its peak in the 1990's with the film. The movie in this case did not hurt the book, as it was well done, but as is often the case did not elicit the same response as reading the novel, chapter by chapter. A richer flavor of the west is seen through the eyes of the reader, whereas the film concentrates more on the characters relationships, perhaps for broader appeal outside the genre. Anyone that enjoys the old west with a touch of humor and pathos will identify with McMurtry's rich tale.
George E. Miller, author of The Lone War Cry

If you are like me you will be depressed when you finish this book ... its absence from my life was that profound. It is a sweeping, powerful, engaging work with some of the most colorful characters ever drawn in fiction. If you have seen the CBS miniseries, do yourself a favor and relive it all again with this titan of a novel. It is more than a Western, it is the story of the human experience. The two main characters, Gus and Call, exemplify the fundamental question that besets us in this waking world: Are we here to accomplish something unique, despite the possible risk to our relationships, comfort and safety; or are we here to pursue a life lived pleasurably and with no expectations?

Where the Wild Things Are
I purchase this book for my two year old grandson, he loves to hear his poppa read it to him. It is the only way I have found to get a two year old grandchild to set still for about 15 minutes.

Love the book remember it from when I was a child.

Briefly, the story revolves around Max, a young boy who behaves naughtily and is sent to bed without supper. In his room, he is transported to another world "where the wild things are" where he is made king of the wild things. After having his fill of leading the wild things, he returns to his room to find his supper left on his dresser.

This story strikes an interesting balance between the real world of Max and his family and Max's dream world "where the wild things are". Whereas in the former world his actions are seen as naughty and are decried, the dream world provides Max not only with the ability to act in the way he wants but also to have those actions sanctioned and praised by those around him.

Beyond that, even, is the amount of control Max can exert in each world. The real world limits him and he is almost totally at the mercy of his parents who send him to his room. In the wild world, even before he becomes king of the wild things, he is able to control the other wild things and his power is unlimited. An interesting question to ask is whether Max would be as naughty as he is if he believed himself to have more power in the real world.

The conclusion of the story seems to come mostly as the author stumbles over himself to wrap up the story. It is unclear why the angry parents would reward Max's behavior or why they would negate the punishment meted out at the beginning of the story. I found the warm supper waiting for Max upon his return from the wild world to be somewhat out of place. I understand, perhaps, that even bad kids are loved and that may be the moral being taught here, but it is strange that Max just receives the food out of the blue with no remorse on his part.

The book is a fun story and holds the attention of my 3 year old. He loves when I improvise the roaring and gnashing. Throwing in a little Troggs "Wild Thing" during the rumpus makes story time a little bit more fun too. I don't think the strange lesson at the end ruins the story, and I'm not sure that the target audience of this book would be able to figure it out in the first place. 4 stars for a fun book that holds kids' attentions.

I just read this the other day to my first grade class, and it turns out I had forgotten just how gorgeous this book is!

It's the story of a boy named Max who imagines himself to another world: an island dominated by monsters, aka "wild things". No, it's not freakishly complex, but it is a kids' story.

It tells of one of the most important things we have: the power of imagination.

Monsters, monsters....children this age are obsessed with them. Every night this is the top book requested to be read by my children. Another delightful story about a caterpillar named Cyrano is also a big request... Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tale of Success. The misadventures of a caterpillar going to school make the kids laugh and giggle.The bonus parent reading guide is an incredible plus. All children's literature should come with one.

Your 5 yr old will stay on your lap for the whole book and ask again tomorrow.

Never get tired of this one... love that sweet brown bear and all his friends

There are days when I am just thoroughly annoyed by this book.

And yet it remains a classic, and I grudgingly agree.

How can anyone not love the awesome repetitive rhymes and varying colors and animals? And how can you not get chills at how these animals are all staring at each other?

The original of interactive books and still probably the best.

Great book. My son's favorite. At 9 months of age he knew it by name.

I started reading this book to my son when he was 12 months old and since then he has always loved reading it. The words are flowy and interesting enough to capture his attention. A definate must have in a toddlers bookshelf!

This was one of my son's favorite books!
It brings back a lot of memories!

This is an enchanting story that once again captures the spirit of the perky princess who had no desire to be the traditional damsel-in-distress. So, what's a contemporary woman trapped by royal traditions to do? Offer herself up to the dragons in the first place.

It's a whimsical tale that gives fairytales sly winks and twists at every corner. The characters are rich, and move the story along with their quirks.

This is not just parody, either. Ms. Wrede had managed to create her own intelligent, dragon-and-knight infested tale that creates as much fairy tale as it borrows.

I enjoyed this story, and the sequels, as a young girl. Wrede creates a magical world that has a unique feel while incorporating common elements from fairytales. I've read in several times since and still enjoy it. Dealing with Dragons is very much a girl power book - almost all of the good main characters are female, Princess Cimerone rejects the staid life society thrusts upon her and charts her own course, and the King of the Dragons ends up being a female (King is just the title of the job, designating nothing about gender). It is well written, something that can certainly not be said of all fantasy novels written for this age group, and the story is fun and engaging.

An excellent book for young children that enjoy fantasy with an odd twist. Highly recommended.

I loved this series in middle school and would highly recommend it as a fun leisure read for children in that age bracket.

Princess Cimorene is tired of embroidery, etiquette, and protocol classes. She wants to take Latin, fencing, magic, and cooking lessons instead. But, that's just "not done." So to avoid a betrothal to a handsome and charming (but not particularly bright) prince, she runs away to become housekeeper for a dragon. As a dragon's princess, Cimorene gets the freedom to cook and clean and to organize libraries and treasure rooms. She also has to fend off persistent knights who come to rescue her, and investigate the actions of a couple of sneaky wizards.

Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing with Dragons is a refreshing change from some of the more recent fantasy epics aimed at teenage girls. It's light, fun, and often hilarious as it pokes fun at several fairy tales and fantasy clichés. The plot moves rapidly and the writing is clear and precise. The dialogue is particularly good.

I listened to Dealing With Dragons on audiobook. Listening Library does an excellent job recording this with a full cast of actors; I highly recommend this format. --FanLit.net

I don't know what it was about this book that made me want to read it over and over again. It didn't have any colosal {I don't know if I spelled that right} battles or anything. I guess it was just the amazing storyline! The adventure was fantastic, but I honestly like whats going on with the woodlanders better than Martin the warriors journy, more action happens with them. In all, this is one of the best Redwall books, complete with an awesome one on one battle at the end. Read this book!

This is about Martin the Warrior , a heroic mouse, the self-appointed Prince of Mousetheives (and best friend to Martin), Gonff, the totally evil wildcat Tsarmina, and sundry other animal characters. The plot is that (1) Martin is (after a sidetracked problem) questing for Salamandastron, (2) the woodlanders defending themselves from Tsarmina until Martin returns, and (3) what's happening in Kotir, the moldy, falling-down castle where Tsarmina and her horde of vermin (stoats, rats, foxes, weasels and so on). This is a good series because it never ends on a cliffhanger at the very end. Mr. Jacques is a wonderful author, and I've read all his books except Eulalia!, because it isn't out yet. :(

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

"Mossflower" is the epic prequel to "Redwall". Written by Brian Jacques, it is a book full of adventure and surprise.
The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower are forced to live under the tyrannical rule of the evil wildcat queen, Tsarmina. That is until the coming of Martin the Warrior. Martin brings hope and promise to the animals of Mossflower. With the help of a mighty weapon, the habitants of Mossflower will ban together to take back what is rightfully theirs and put an end to the evil reign of Tsarmina.
I highly recommend this book. It is full of action that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading.

It is all you want in a good book.It has just the right amount of action,
peril,valor,and humor. If you want a book that is good for everyone, you just found one!

This classic Dr. Seuss book is not just for kids. It's probably not even especially for kids. This classic book is the perfect gift for transitions: graduation, weddings, adoptions (my favorite paired with Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hatches An Egg"), new job, getting fired from a horrible job, ....)

And this deluxe edition is especially perfect for that gift at a special landmark occasion.

Ted Geisel might have crafted a book that gets shelved in the Children's Section in libraries and book stores, but he was writing especially to those of us who periodically forget, and want or need to remember, how magical and special every day of life can be.

Oh, the Places You'll Go! is a very good graduation gift, and my traditional gift for such occasions. But in regular bookstores, the cost usually averages at $18. Now, used books are great ideas, usually about $5, but not for graduation gifts. So when these $12 per arrived in perfect NEW condition I was thrilled. Go Amazon.

We use this book as a completion/graduation gift for a summer program for high school students that gives them experience in working at a university-level research project. The program is called SHARP. The book edition is hardback with a color-embossed jacket, so it will hold up as a keepsake, and the kids use it as they would a yearbook--collecting autographs and keep-in-touch messages from their friends and teachers.

This makes a great book. I gave one to a friend who's daughter is going to Kindergarten, I bought one for my little one and sent one to my brother who needed a little pick me up to get back on the right track. Its very motivational and I recommend it to every one of all ages.

We bought this book for our daughter graduating high school. We wanted her to know that the sky was the limit for her. This says it all.

I read this before I read the other series (Song of the Lioness)so I really had no background info on the setting. The plot is intriguing and the details back it worthwhile.

Daine is a young girl, newly orphaned who applies for work at a horse fair. The horse trainer, Onua doesn't want to take on such a young girl but gives her a chance and sets her in among the horses she has already purchased. It's not a problem for Daine that those horses are wild, untamed and unruly because Daine has wild magic and can speak to the animals.

Onua takes her on and they set off for the capital of Tortall because Onua is the horse-mistress of the Queen's Riders. Daine makes herself invaluable on the way by keeping the horses in line and fighting off immortals.

She meets Numair who plays a huge role as her teacher in the rest of the series. Numair is 27 at the start of the series and Daine is 13 so there is a huge age gap there.

Daine's magic grows leaps and bounds under Numairs tutelage and Daine's wild magic becomes instrumental in saving Tortall from Carthaki invaders.

Daine is probably my favorite character in the Tamora Pierce world of Tortall. She's got this natural thing with animals that I would love to have... She's not overly stubborn (like Alanna) or boring (like Kel - she was my least favorite heroine) or mischievous (like Aly, who is my second favorite (^_^) ) or even determined (like Pierce's newest heroine Bekka). Daine is just nice and has a lot of common sense and is brave.

This is the most disappointing thing I have ever bought online. Actually, I don't know because it hasn't come yet. I ordered it over a week and a half ago and it still hasn't come. Why sell when you don't deliver?

Wild Magic, a book by Tomora Pierce and the first book in the series The Immortals, is about a girl named Daine. Daine was always good with animals. Then she leaves her home and realizes she is more than good with animals; she has magic. Her magic allows her to talk to them and they obey her. Her magic is about to run away with her when her new job sets her in the company of a kind mage named Numair. Numair helps her learn how to control and use her magic.
My favorite part was when all the birds in the story help Daine fight off several Stormwings. Even though they all die, Daine's powers seep out and bring the birds back to life, fix broken wings, and heal their wounds. This book would be great for anyone in to fantasy and fiction books, more for someone in 6th too 8th grade. I don't really know, older groups of people might like it as well. I give this book a 10 on a scale of 1:10.
This book has sparked my imagination. I am always thinking about how life would be if we had magical powers. This book is very entertaning and keeps the adventure going. I hope you read the other books in the Immortals series. This book captivated me. I hope you enjoy/ enjoyed it as much as I have.
-- Skylar Rowan

This is an excellent book. Tamora Pierce is a great author. I just bought another copy of this book because I misplaced my first copy.

Once again, I remember reading this book when I was a child. I had always been a bookworm and no problems diving into the imaginary world. This book will bring you even further. The story is one that everyone can relate to - young and old. The translation from German seems to me very good. I unfortunately do not remember every exact wording in German. The message of the book is very clear once you start reading - and even though I was hesitant, I think the movie was very well done to capture this.
There are not many books that one can read every now and then and still feel a renewed bond with the story. This one will keep you wondering what happened to you when you grew up.

If you've seen the movie, you've only gotten a taste of what this book has to offer. The movie is only an abbreviated adaptation of the first half of the book, and the sequels are simply spin-offs of the first movie. This book has so much more to offer! It's a story about the importance of imagination and fantasy, self-discovery and identity, and the importance of discovering what is truly important in your heart. At the very least the story in these pages is one of the greatest fantasy stories you will ever read... and if you truly open your heart to the story, you will walk away a better person after having read it.

This book was interesting to read because I thought it would be like "The Neverending Story" movie, but instead the book goes through both "The Neverending Story" 1 & 2. It has alot more details and you find out how far off the movies ventured from the book. The first few chapters are similar to the original movie then the rest of the book is about Bastian losing his memories and trying to get home. It is an interesting book, but some parts get rather dry. Enjoy with a grain of salt.

Originally classified as a children's book, this is really a deeply spiritual parable written for all of us. Your children will be dazzled by the imaginary creatures and fantasy lands, while you will discover deep spiritual messages and awe-inspiring symbolism that is prevalent in every single chapter.

Travel with Atreyu, Falkor and Bastian as they take on the journey into the heart of man. One of the best parts about this book is that just when you think it couldn't get any moreentertaining or profound, it surprises you by being even more of both.

If you've paid attention throughout the book and learned the lessons it
aims to teaches, then when all is said and done, you too may understand
what exactly is "The Neverending Story."

Many reviewers have already given a synopsis of this fantastic story of a boy literally drawn into a book he is reading. So, I wanted to comment on this particular edition.

I was hesitant to spend so much money on a book that has been in print for so long and is readily available in cheap paperback copies. However, this is a beautiful hardcover edition. Collectible quality. The dust jacket has lovely artwork. But, the best aspect is the two color text. The majority of the book is printed in green typeface. Bastion's sections are printed in red typeface. This allows for a smooth, but noticeable, transition between the two stories. I think this makes is easier on younger readers to keep track of what's going on, as well as being visually appealing. The paper feels thicker than in most books, and seems to be high quality. Bright white pages showcase the color text very well.

Fans of "The Princess Bride" would enjoy the story. Book collectors will be happy to add this to their shelf.

I purchased this book at a thrift store for $1. I had read one other of McCammons books "Swan Song" which I thought was excellent so I figured I would try "Boys Life". It seemed like a dumb title but for $1 I figured I could pitch it if the book was no good. I am the type of person if a book does not grip me in the first 50 pages I move on. Was I ever surprised. Right off the bat the story gripped me. I would stay up late at night wanting to see what would happen next. McCammon writes in such a way that you can feel the emotions of Cory the main character in the story. I could see how the boy thinks as I once used to when I was boy many years ago. McCammon makes this story come alive. The pictures he draws of this small town are clear and you are drawn in and can't put the book down. McCammon is an excellent story teller. It is almost like you are there. It takes place in the early 1960's when the world was a different place than it is now. The death of Cory's best friend, his dealing with some bullys, his relationship with his parents, and a host of other odd characters that Cory deals with come alive. There is also an odd mystery he tries to solve that weaves through the entire story. These all come alive in the story and at the end they fit together. Excellent book. Definitely five stars. If his other books are this good, I can't wait to read them.

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon was a pretty good book. It starts out in a little town in AL with a twelve year old boy (the main character) named Cory Mackenson is with his dad at "work" and a mystery begins to unfold right in front of his eyes. It catches the reader's attention. But as the story continues, I think that is gets a little confusing to follow as there a lot of "mini-stories" that make the plot somewhat strange. Some stories were interesting, but some just did not make any sense in my opinion. At the end of the book, grown-up Cory talks about his new life- this is a nice touch at the conclusion of the book. Overall, it was a pretty good book. Not a five-star for me though.

There's nothing I can say about this book that hasn't been said, but let me add to the ovation. Everything you've read is true. This book is brimming w/ magic and heart. I think it's the only book I've ever started to read again right after finishing it. If you haven't read it, do yourself a favor and do so.

This is the first book I have read by the author and what a great introduction. Considering this book was written in the early 90's, the 12-year old Cory M. main character, was a harbinger of the "magical boy"
at the edge of adolescence. Ala Harry Potter, Cory has the sixth sense. Though there are elements of horror, this is mainly a autobiography of kids in the 60's. The feel of the time is right, with boys on bikes looking for adventure and trying to escape the misery of school. And surely one can remember that magic did seem to be in the air at that age. The characters are well-developed and the mystery, who is the drowned man in the lake?, is nicely woven through, but not always the main focus. More importantly, Cory and his friends begin to glimpse the adult world, maybe just as scary as the horror stuff. Dad loses his job, Mom is a worry-wart, and Cory faces love and death. Did not want it to end and felt the post-script of life in the 90's, did not add. A different type of horror/mystery story and great change of pace.

Robert McCammon really did an awsome job writing this book. It expresses everything in a young boy's life. The dissapointments such as: loosing a friend to a bullet, your dog dying, and having your dad layed off from work. On the other hand it also tells about great things such as: getting a new bike, catching a criminal, going to a circus, and many other things. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that will keep you reading till the last page.