Schools Books

I have loved Tintin books since before I even knew how to read. Though I enjoy them all, there are a few that stand out above the rest for various reasons.

Tintin in Tibet is one of my five favorite Tintin adventures. I love the varied landscapes, the cultural references of the exotic region where the story is set, and the humor in the book. This book allows one to be taken to a far away land, one which most readers will probably never have the chance to visit in person in their lives. It also is different than most Tintin books in that there is no true villian to speak of. Instead, it turns out to be a story of hope and perseverance. In the end, it is a most satisfying adventure.

This is essentially Herge's spiritual soul searching 'hippie' book. If it had been done in the late 60s it would probably have been seen as being quite in tune with the popular culture of its time. Yet this was actually done ten years earlier in 1958, which makes it an almost visionary work. It was even orignally supposed to have had an all white cover, much like the beatles white album. All in all, one of the most enjoyable Tintin books, and also a timeless classic of 20th century popular culture.

Herge, Tintin in Tibet (Methuen, 1960)

Tintin in Tibet is a complete anomaly in the Tintin series, a diversion from Tintin's usual world of intrigue to follow a dream. Tintin finds out his old friend Chang (from The Blue Lotus) has been involved in a plane crash in Tibet, he and Haddock rush off to the crash site. Tintin is convinced Chang is still alive; everyone around him, including Haddock, tell him it's not possible. Tintin's quest to find out the truth of Chang's fate leads him into a monastery full of mystics and, ultimately, a search for the legendary yeti.

This is an amazing piece of work. It is, perhaps, the most universally lauded Tintin comic (Lofficier, in The Pocket Essential Tintin, says it's been voted the greatest French-language graphic novel of all time), and it is without doubt one of the best. ****

"Tintin in Tibet" is my first Tintin adventure. I am a librarian seeking new stories and saw this in a review. It looks like a story my older elementary students would like.

Others on the product page are long-time fans, beginning in childhood, with "Tintin in Tibet" as the favorite in the series of books written and illustrated by Herge. Not knowing anything about the back story, I will begin.

First, the book itself. It is 11 3/4 inches high and 8 3/4 inches wide with full-color illustrations on slick paper, making this a very nice looking graphic novel. The book is well worth its price. The covers of the other 24 adventures are shown on the back cover.

I'm not sure who Tintin is--maybe a teenager, or the Captain, definitely someone fond of Tintin and uncle-like, who watches out for Tintin, who in turn really doesn't need watching over. Tintin is on vacation when he learns of the plane crash of Chang, a Chinese friend his age, in the mountains of Nepal.

Tintin has a dream that Chang is alive and determines to go rescue him. Of course, the Captain goes along. Through hook and crook, they manage to put together a team to take them trekking through the mountains of Nepal to find the crash site and look for Chang. Tintin's dog Snowy also goes along. He makes me laugh with his stubborn and feisty comments. The funniest is at the beginning when he complains (in the cartoon bubbles) that his feet are going to be worn off with all this hiking on rocks. Tintin has no idea his dog has this attitude.

There are several episodes in which Tintin miraculously pulls through, along with the Captain and Snowy. Tintin is clearly a hero figure but so modest, his heroism is almost surprising. He is like a Boy Scout with courage, cleanliness, right living, and dedication to service to others. He is kind and compassionate and downright likeable. Although the Captain is a whiny complainer, he always ends up doing the right thing and thus makes himself likeable. I love his cranky faces! And Snowy! So adorable!

In addition to character positives, the book also promotes cultural exchanges in a positive light--and this back in the '60's! Geography is highlighted. This might be a graphic novel, but it contains many bubbles with words.

Teachers, librarians, parents: This is a series worth exploring, for all its positive values. Other reviewers don't recommend this as a first to buy. Please read Texas Swede's review for an excellent summary of all the Tintin books to make your decision. I will be adding several of the books to my school library, including this one!

This album was first published in 1960. It is my favorite Tintin. Tintin has a vivid dream in which his friend Tchang is in serious danger. They soon find out that his friend was on a plane that crashed in the Himalayas. There were no survivors reported, but Tintin is still convinced that Tchang is alive. Tintin and Captain Haddock flies to India and then they go to the Nepalese/Tibetan border. The adventure that follows is gripping and full of mystery and it has some great humor. The cold and harsh Himalayan Mountains provides nearly insurmountable challenges and both strange and dangerous things will happen.

Despite the hardships Tintin forges ahead against all odds and against all advice. This story is a little bit slower and more philosophical than most other Tintin adventures, and it includes some paranormal phenomena. However, it is still exciting and gripping, and the humor is superb. I always get a good laugh out of this book no matter how many times I re-read it. The story is very much about the human spirit, hope, and the power of compassion. One thing that stayed with me forever was the lonely cry of the Yeti.

This is my favorite Tintin adventure because it is more than just an adventure. It was also my favorite Tintin album when I was a kid. However, younger children may like "Blue Lotus" or the "The Crab with the Golden Claws" better. I would recommend this album for adults and mature children before any other Tintin album, with the slight reservation that it is an untypical Tintin album and that you may also want to read a couple of the other albums. I should say that I loved the Tintin books as a kid and I still like them, and so does my American kids (I am Swedish). In fact my American X-Box and Wii playing kids read them all the time and like them even more than I did.

Finally I would like to list all the Tintin albums in order from my favorite to the one I liked the least. I will make this list into a list mania list next but put it here for easy access.

Skip this list if you don't want to read it (I know it is very long).

(1) Tintin in Tibet (5 stars). It was published 1960. It is my favorite Tintin. Tintin's friend Tchang (from Blue Lotus) is lost in a plane crash in Tibet. Everyone thinks he is dead, but not Tintin, who sets out to find him against all odds. It contains adventure, humor, and mystery; however, it is also about the human spirit, and compassion. Therefore it is also a very inspiring and thought provoking adventure.

(2) Blue Lotus (5 stars). This is Herge's first master piece; it is one of my favorites. This Tintin adventure from 1934 takes place in 1931 but is still the second best Tintin (after Tintin in Tibet) as far as I am concerned. Tintin is fighting Opium gangs in China when Japan invades. This adventure is dark, scary, exciting and fun. It is also a history lesson to a certain extent.

(3) Flight 714 (5 stars). This book was published in 1968. Tintin and his friends are invited to fly in the private jet of the billionaire Lazlo Careidas. The private jet is hijacked and they are taken by their kidnappers to a very mysterious Island. This adventure is filled with surprises, humor, it is fast paced and exciting, and is therefore one of my favorites.

(4) The Crab with the Golden Claws (5 stars). This was the first Tintin I read as a kid (in Swedish). It was also the first Tintin movie I saw. This is the book where Tintin met Captain Haddock for the first time. Just like the other later works by Herge it is exciting, and well drawn, but this is one is also very funny. It will make you and your kids laugh out loud.

(5) The seven Crystal Balls (5 stars). This Tintin published 1948, is eerie, mysterious, and exciting. It is the first one of a series of two, the second being "Prisoners of the Sun". In this adventure the members of an expedition that investigated the tomb of Rascar Capac an Inca King, become sick with a strange horrible disease. The mummy taken from the tomb mysteriously vanishes (escapes?) during a fierce thunderstorm.

(6) Prisoners of the Sun (5 stars). This is the second book of a series of two. Tintin and company end up in Peru. They save a boy Zorrino from Peruvian racists. Zorrino guides them to the Inca Empire which still exists underground in the Jungle. Towards the end Tintin saves himself and his company by using his knowledge of a coming solar eclipse. It was later plagiarized by Mel Gibson in Apocalypto.

(7) The Castafiore Emerald (5 stars). This adventure was published 1963. It is absolutely the funniest of them all. It is filled with a lot of good humor. However, to get all the jokes you need to be familiar with Tintin and Captain Haddock already. So I would not recommend this as your first Tintin.

(8) The Red Sea Sharks (5 stars). This adventure was written in 1958. Tintin stumbles into an organization selling African slaves (slavery still existed in the Middle East and Africa in 1958). A lot of old crooks from other books show up here, including Captain Allan, Rastapopolous, Dr. Muller, etc. This book is intensely exciting and full of action and is therefore one of my favorites.

(9) Tintin and the Picaros (5 stars). This adventure published 1976 is full of fun and adventure. Castafiore is being held by General Tapioca innocently accused of plotting against him. Well if you know Castafiore you now feel sorry for the poor old dictator.

(10) Explorers of the Moon (5 stars). Written 1954 this is the second book in a series of two. This book is a lot more exciting and fun compared to the first (Destination moon). The movie is, however, better than the comic book (they are the same but this comic makes a good movie). However, reading this science fiction style comic book is a lot of fun.

(11) Land of the Black Gold (4 stars). This book was published in 1950 (original version 1948). It takes place in the middle east and is about oil, war, and the fight against criminals like Dr. Muller (German villains were no longer taboo). Prince Abdullah the son of the Emir of the Arab Emirate of Khemed is kidnapped and Tintin and company sets out to rescue him.

(12) Red Rackham's Treasure (4 stars). This is the second book in a series of two, the first one being "The secret of the Unicorn". In this adventure Tintin and Captain Haddock goes on an expedition to find the treasure of Sir Francis Haddock. It is in this book we meet Professor Calculus for the first time. His underwater machine turns out to be invaluable, even though Tintin and Captain Haddock at first reject it.

(13) The Secret of the Unicorn (4 stars). This adventure was published in French 1943. This is the first book in a series of two (the second being Red Rackhams treasure). In this adventure it is discovered that Captain Haddocks forefather was a feisty sea captain who fought pirates and left a treasure behind. It is not as fast paced as many other Tintin adventures and contains a considerable amount of detective work.

(14) The Calculus Affair (4 stars). In this adventure Professor Calculus is kidnapped in Geneva and Tintin and Captain Haddock set out to save him. It turns out that Professor calculus is working on a secret weapon that the fictional country of Borduria really wants to have. It is an exciting adventure but not as humor filled and exhilarating as some of the other adventures. It was written 1956.

(15) The Cigars of the Pharaoh (4 stars). The Cigars of the Pharaoh is the first of the better Tintin books. In this adventure Tintin is on a holiday cruise but ends up traveling to Egypt and India on a dangerous adventure. It is an exciting and mysterious adventure that is not objectionable (unlike the three first ones).

(16) The broken ear (4 stars). This story from 1937 takes place in South America. Tintin fights dangerous crooks, gets caught up in political turmoil, is nearly executed, travels through the rain forest, encounters piranhas, and lives among the Arumbaya Indians. This is where Tintin meets General Alcazar for the first time. Lots of action but it is still not a top quality Tintin.

(17) King Ottokar's Sceptre (4 stars). Published in 1939 this book is an allegory for fascist aggression. In this adventure Tintin visits the mythical Kingdom of Syldavia. The leaders of Borduria, a neighboring country, plot to unseat King Muskar. They attempt to seize the symbol of the Syldavian monarchy, which is "King Ottokar's Scepter". This adventure was exciting but still not a favorite of mine.

(18) The Black Island (4 stars). FOUR STARS: This one was written 1937. It takes place in England and Scotland. I saw the movie version, and read the book in several languages. In this adventure Tintin is hunting down a gang of forgers. The drawings have a higher quality than "The broken ear" and the story flows smoothly. However, I find the story to be somewhat tedious and too British for me, and this is not one my favorites.

(19) Destination Moon (4 stars). First published 1953, this is the first book in a series of two (the second being Explorers of the moon). It is a very good concept, a sort of Tintin science fiction. However, it is not fast paced and at times tedious.

(20) Tintin and the lake of the sharks (4 stars). Published 1974 and based on a film from 1972, it is a little different than the other Tintin adventures. It is not directly written by Herge, but Herge supervised the creation of the film. The drawings are not typical either; they look like still pictures from the movie. It is also a little shorter. However, it is still a good adventure and my kids like it, so I give it four stars.

(21) The shooting star (4 stars). In this adventure (from 1941) the world comes close to annihilation when earth almost collides with a star. Tintin and Captain Haddock sets out on an expedition together with a team of international scientists to find a piece that broke off and landed in the Ocean. Well, stars are not solid and pieces don't brake off stars, but there are a lot more oddities in this unlikely story.

(22) Tintin in America (3 stars). Tintin in America" portrays America with an old fashioned European prejudice that is unrealistic and unflattering. His portrayal of the Indians is borderline racist, and the plot is essentially "gangster tries to kill Tintin, Tintin miraculously escapes" repeated a couple of dozen times. Having said that, the book is still entertaining, in its own way.

(23) The adventures of Tintin in the land of the Soviets (3 stars). This is anti-communist propaganda, which I don't mind; however, it does not make a good comic book. The drawings are also not that good. However, this comic book shows that people knew about the Soviet horrors back in the 1920's.

(24) Tintin in the Congo (3 stars). It was an exciting adventure with some interesting and fun twists. However, the quality is very far from that of the more modern Tintin books, and it is borderline racists.

I read this book for the first time over ten years ago, and it still holds up as one of the best YA novels I have ever read. Superficially, the writing is quick and bright, the characters are engaging, and the pace is spot on. Don't even finish this review, just go read the book.

If you're still on the fence, here is my list of three great things about TURoKB:
1. Kate...Here is a protagonist that anyone love, and bookish young women the world over can identify with. She's intelligent, she's a genuinely good person, and she doesn't spill any ink on youthful indulgences like self-pity or unnecessary rebelliousness. Cheers to strong, self-possessed women.

2. Kate's family...At one point in the novel, Kate decides that her parents are simply too darling and sympathetic, so she makes lists of their faults to incorporate. The resulting lists are some of the funniest moments in the book, and only serve to make her parents seem more endearing. It's hard to write convincingly about a good, stable family without making it seem utterly boring. Plummer succeeds, making us believe that the Bjorkmans really could live down the street.

3. Fleur St. Germaine...She is the revelation of the novel. First, we see one of the loveliest depictions of female friendship and generosity in print when she mentors Kate through romance that the title promises (a necessary counterbalance to the supposed friendship between Kate and Ashley). Second, she makes explicit the undercurrent of feminist ideas that Kate and her family subtly embody. Third, if the reader is so inclines, Fleur can be read as a lesbian. Nothing in the text contradicts a queer reading, and several of Fleur's jokes establish the supporting subtext. As a young woman who's access to even the tamest queer material was restricted, this book was a godsend.

I got this book from the library in the eighth grade and absolutely loved it! Kate's story is so easy to relate to and her commentaries are absolutely hilarious! Every teenage girl I know has been in her situation and she makes it so funny that you can't help but love the story. The Christmas backdrop maskes the book perfect. It's romantic, funny, and a great holiday read!

Kate is a ordinary girl whose had a crush on that she has had forever. When Richard, her older brother's best friend, comes for a visit over the Christmas holiday, Kate gets a chance to show Richard what shes made of. The problem(s): her annoying, overly flirty best-friend Ashley, and Richards firlfriemnd (or not), Fluer. But Kate, who every girl can relate to, deals with it all amazingly. This book is fun and fresh, and a nice read any time you want a little break and some refreshing holiday love and mush.

I picked this up today and just finished it. I don't remember laughing that hard in a book for a long time. Wonderfully cheesy in just the right way, Kate's unlikely romance is, in my opinion, one of the best romance books out there. Kate is a great protagonist that is (thank goodness) nothing like a real romance novel heroine. Her honesty as a story teller and character is what makes the book great. Its an easy, enjoyable read. Louise Plummer has done a fantastic job!

I loved this book so much that I read it every winter-- 6 years later I am still captivated by the story...even at 20 years old. It's like reading it for the first time all over again. You can get emotionally interwined in the pages and there are certain parts that always give me this warm fuzzy feeling accompanied by a smile..no matter how many times I read it.

he's one excellant teacher. This is a great book to read at nap, bedtime, or anytime. It also teaches good lessons in a fun way.

I recently read this book to my grandchildren. As I was reading it, I realized that the book described a situation that was occurring in my own career. The more I read, the bigger my smile became. I realized that I was Mack and my co-worker was Yertle. As I finished the book, I told my grandsons that this was by far and away my favorite Dr. Seuss book. They asked why and I told them that sometimes in life, people seeking more and more power and greed will try to step on you and it's up to you to stand up for yourself.

Great book, great morale to the story.

I remember this one only vaguely from childhood. But when a friend loaned it to us recently, I had to buy our own copy.

There are three stories inside:
Yertle the Turtle -- be considerate
(something about Gertie's tail feather) -- be content
The Big Brag -- be humble

(sorry I can't remember the name of the second one -- the book is tucked away in the slumbering bedroom and I am NOT going in there to check it)

The morals of the stories are accessible at the kindergarten level -- and nice reminders for adults too.

The rhyming and meter, as always with Dr. Seuss, are great. Just perfect for reading out loud. Easy for the kids to memorize the lines, too.

This one deserves a spot next to Green Eggs and Ham and all the rest.

This was a fun book that I enjoyed as a youngster and I wanted to add it to my little niece's library!

Of course this is a great book - what other story talks about bringing down a king with one great burp! Classic book.

This book is dedicated, "for all young people in their search for themselves." These are short stories about teenagers who are trying to find their identity, Teenagers face who they are and find support from their parents and friends. In some stories, they do find support from school, parents and friends. In additional some even find the right person to be with. There are three scenarios: teenagers not being accepted from others, not getting support from others and themselves being confused with their identity.



My favorite story from the book was Parents' Night. This story was about a teenager who had her girlfriend but her parents didn't know, they thought they were just friends. At the beginning of the story she says that her father didn't give her a rose in her birthday. This was because they were at dinner when Karen gave them the news; she told them that she was involved in a club at school. This club was the Gay Straight-Bisexual Alliance, which every one in that club they were going to represent in on Parents' Night. Karen tells her parents that she was going to be there with her girlfriend Roxy. Her father wasn't happy with the news, so he didn't agree and he was really mad. In Karen's birthday her father was really quiet and he didn't give her a yellow rose like he used to every year. My favorite part of the story was when her parents go to Parents' Night and her father gives Karen a rose. He tells her that it was a little late and that he is happy that she got a really nice girlfriend. This part really got me, Karen was crying and my eyes were watery. She knew that her parents were now accepting her the way she was.



All stories have a main idea. The writer sends messages that after reading each story you might think differently. The idea is to understand and support those who are in situations like that. I think that people don't have to experience first in order for them to write stories. All these authors give really good stories, which really touch the readers heart and at the end of the book you put it down and have a different view of those who are confused with their identity.



The book has sixteen stories. The story Am I Blue talks about a gay teenager who has a fairy godfather who helps him out throughout his time of not knowing what he wants. The stories were different but they had the same idea in all of them. In Michael's Little Sister, his sister shows him that it's okay to be that way; she gives him support and understands him. Slipping Away is a story where a gay teenager tells his friend Maria who likes him, that he is gay but like any other girl she got mad at him instead of supporting him. Running from the book is really interesting; it's about a girl that starts seeing her sister's friend differently. Sheila was Heather's friend who brought her because she was having problems at home, and that's how Heather's sister meets Sheila. All these stories are really interesting and they throw good messages in each story written.



I like this book mostly because in each story the writer gives an idea why he wrote that story and why he/she wants us to read it. Also when the reader reads the story, the writer clearly states how the person feels. It is really important for those who read this book to understand what and how it feels when a person who is in a position like that might feel when he/she doesn't have any support or is not accepted from others.

I recieved this book and I found it very helpful to see this wide variety of people in it, talking about love and life and living and dicovering ones own self. It's a must read for so many people. It's just beautiful.

There are some stories in this book that are absolutely phenomenal. "Am I Blue" is one of them, and it is a great first story of the book. This books helps people to understand what it is like to be GLBT from many different viewpoints. "The Honorary Shepherd" is probably the story that impacted me the most, as it deals with interracial relationships as well. Having bought this book on accident, I am glad I did. I've probably read the book 15 times through and I don't know if I'll ever tire of it.

Written over ten years ago, AM I BLUE? is still as important today as it was then. A short-story collection dealing with GLBT (gay/lesbian/ bisexual/transgender) issues by some of 1995's top authors, this book is a true gem for teens searching for their identity--or just looking for a good read. With stories ranging from contemporary paranormal, to ones set in the 1950's, to one based during the Vietnam War, and even one in another world of Amazon warriors, there's something here for everyone.

Stories include:

AM I BLUE? by Bruce Coville
WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL BE STRANGERS by M. E. Kerr
WINNIE AND TOMMY by Francesca Lia Block
SLIPPING AWAY by Jacqueline Woodson
THE HONORARY SHEPHERDS by Gregory Maguire
RUNNING by Ellen Howard
THREE MONDAYS IN JULY by James Cross Giblin
PARENTS' NIGHT by Nancy Garden
MICHAEL'S LITTLE SISTER by C. S. Adler
SUPPER by Leslea Newman
HOLDING by Lois Lowry
BLOOD SISTER by Jane Yolen
HANDS by Jonathan London
50% CHANCE OF LIGHTNING by Cristina Salat
IN THE TUNNELS by William Sleator
DANCING BACKWARDS by Marion Dane Bauer

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection, as each story has something different to offer. From allowing everyone in the world to see who is gay, to wondering what it would have been like to have two gay shepherds at the birth of Christ, to manning a booth about gays and lesbians at a school parents' night, each short story has an engaging story to tell.

The only thing that would make this book better is to have a part two--another AM I BLUE? published in 2006 with some of today's best GLBT authors like Julie Anne Peters, Brent Hartinger, David Levithan, and more.

_Am I Blue?_ is a brilliant YA anthology that should be required reading in every classroom! Dealing with homosexuality in teenagers and their parents and friends, these stories will move any reader--gay, straight, questioning, or bisexual. This anthology helps gay kids understand that they are not alone, while shining a light on what it feels like to be homosexual for straight readers. The stories have similar themes, but range in genre, giving every reader something to thoroughly enjoy. I can't recommend it strongly enough!

My only complaint is that there were no stories that really focused on a bisexual character.

My wife and I like to listen to a tape while we read the book. We are rereading this book that way. It is a classic and a good introduction to Alaska, where we have lived and worked and touristed.

Want to read about the realities of the 49th state????
Want to really learn something about this region???
Want to get good visuals????????
If NOT don't read this book!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book is a wonderful relic, the last plausible vision of a living American frontier. In the mid seventies, McPhee went to Alaska to do a few pieces for the New Yorker. He met a lot of trappers, prospectors, and "river people" who'd built moss-chinked cabins and whose individualism, gruff hospitality, and happiness he admired. McPhee made a plea for democratic access to Alaskan land. He argued that land far from roads should remain fair game for homesteaders in perpetuity.

It is odd to read an ode to Alaska's wild immensity at a time when islands are being evacuated in the Aleutians, polar bears are drowning, and the permafrost is melting. The question these days is not whether Americans can still choose to live in more or less untainted outback. The question is whether that outback will soon be transformed beyond recognition, not by oil drilling, but by climate change.

What Coming into the Country offers the twenty-first century is escapism and nostalgia. McPhee's account of the political squabbles over the location of Alaska's capital has lost its relevance, but the rest of the book still comes to life. We meet a mix of clannish Christians, proud native people, and prickly bootleggers in the small, dry town of Eagle. McPhee's tale of a man's survival in sub-zero weather after a plane crash constitutes a minor classic of its own.

The book reminds us how powerful the frontier fantasy remains in American psyches. Can it be harnessed as a metaphor? Can the dream of self-reliance on a private patch of woods help motivate us, indirectly, to cut carbon emissions? It has motivated us to go camping and conserve some wild lands even while ruining others. Still, I suspect that as the environmental movement shifts in response to global warming, we may have to jettison the frontier fantasy. It depends too much on a view of nature as more powerful than man. Whether or not we agree with Bill McKibben that we have arrived at the end of nature, we know that everything is responding to elevated temperatures. There is no untouched patch of land left in Alaska. The romance of a homestead sours when the flora and fauna are marching north past the log cabin, driven by coal and oil fires from all over the planet.

I traveled to Alaska in 2006 but lived there in the early 70's. Why I delayed so long in reading "Coming into the Country" I don't know, but John McPhee has taken me back to that earlier day. Both his character and place descriptions are wonderful and make me long for the cabins, the ice break-up, the dogs, the bush planes, and the 55 gallon drums. The Anchorage of today is much changed, but the bush is still there -- Thank God.

We bought this book in Nome, Alaska on a visit there in 2001 (my brother owns a flying service there). I took my time reading it the first time. Coming into the Country is not a book to be read quickly, but, rather, one to be savored, taking time for the details to seep into the crevices of one's memory until they become part of one's knowledge base. Every page holds a vast amount of information that if read too quickly blurs to nothingness and is lost.

McPhee's descriptions of the land, its rivers and mountains, its challenges, its beauty, and its people are thorough and draw the reader into the pages of his book. It takes a certain kind of person to survive in the Alaskan bush. I, for one, am drawn to its splendor, its starkness, its fearsomeness, but am sure I don't have the right stuff to live there long term. The river people and others, who thrive in communities like Eagle and Central (even Fairbanks and Juneau), have remarkable stamina and a strong determination to live the lives they choose in their respective settings, all of which are breathtaking in their beauty. McPhee also writes of the tension between the races (Indian and white)and the human dynamic among community members (the good and the no-so-good)that always accompanies the sharing of space and resources.

Over the past five years, I've picked up CITC now and then to re-read parts of it. Most recently, I re-read the whole of Part III Coming into the Country. This is my favorite section because it focuses on the bush and its people, most particularly on Eagle, Alaska located on the Yukon River and just across the International Boundary from Canada's Yukon Territory. (Incidentally, the term "coming into the country" refers to the arrival of a person into the Alaskan bush with the intent of staying. I may move from Michigan to Ohio or New York or California, but, if I go to Alaska, they call it coming into the country. "Brad Snow and Lily Allen came into the country in 1973." "Joe Vogler came into the country in 1944." "John Borg came into the country in 1966" (and he's still there. Check out the Eagle site. Borg has worn many hats in Eagle and still sits on the board of the Eagle Historical Society and Museum. Borg's wife, Betty, is the board's treasurer).

The original copyright on this book is 1976, thirty years ago. The growth in technology since that time has allowed almost every municipality to have their own website. Eagle is no exception. [...]

Carolyn Rowe Hill

Find the Constellations is an absolutely joy to read and study. Rey totally gives modern folk, young and old, a challenge in his opening comments: "Simple shepherds 5000 years ago were familiar with the heavens; they knew the stars and constellations--and they could not read or write---so why don't you?" (Page 3) I agree, and I wonder if we have lost something--as a species, for all our technology, in not observing and questioning the night sky.

This book would be an appropriate product for family time and weekend time--sharing and learning together. The illustrations are easy to grasp, and the fonts are big, easily read even for eye glass wearers. Two chatty little characters appear on select pages to add humor, additional information, and / or emphasis to given material.

My favorite sections in the book:

Star Magnitudes & Examples
Orion & His Stars
Light-Years, Explanation & Examples
Constellation Quizzes
Seasonal Sky Views
Polaris, the North Star
Andromeda
Planet Finder for 2006-2016

NOTE: This book makes a great companion to H.A. Rey's "The Stars: A New Way to See Them."

**People who want more "hardcore" science and meatier cosmology will not be satisfied with this simple book. Not surprising: The target audience of Find the Constellations is for children, young people, and new casual star gazers. :)

We bought this book for our three girls, along with a telescope. The book is well written. Great for the whole family. Can't say enough good things about it!

My husband has a love for the constellations so I decided to purchase this book for him for Father's day; he just loves it and so do the girls. We went camping over the summer and this was a great book to use when we were star gazing; the illustrations are just wonderful. This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn about the constellations.

I bought this book a few weeks ago to use for school. I wanted the kids to learn what some of the constellations looked like and how they looked in different parts of the world. I got so much more! I learned about how the stars "moved" relative to the earth and seasons, I learned how to pick our constellations relative to others I already new, and I learned how these stars got their names. I would definitely recommend this for anyone from 5 - 55. Very simple, but very informative!

An excellent book for children and adults. Interactive. Fun. This books makes star-gazing understandable and easier.

In this tale of tallow candles and turning tides, Corinna Stonewall, keeps her silences, knowing the power of them. In her skin ticks the beat of a timepiece, in her belly is a familiar emptiness from saving her food to feed "the folk", a band of magical beings, all teeth and mischief. As the folk keeper, a job Corinna secured without apprenticeship but by running off the real Corin and buying what knowledge she could get through eavesdropping at the market and doing other boys' chores.

Those days are gone though. Corinna has stopped traveling from home to home and has settled at her place in the cellar when a group of nobles arrives, looking for...Corinna. Though she cuts her hair each morning (it grows two inches every night) and eats little to nothing, she cannot always hide her gender. Even more interesting is the deathbed pact one of the visitors makes with her, having her promise to be a lady of his house. Instead, Corinna secures the place of folk keeper at the new estate, a job no one can take away from her.

The northern isles reveal things Corinna never knew about herself: she his hungry, eating fish right out of the waves, she grows soft in heart, becoming friends with the young man of the house and worst of all, she cannot control the wild folk of the north, who take their strength from stone and sea.

This is an unforgettable story full of imagination, betrayal, secrets and strength. In the darkest pit, Corinna discovers her true identity and with it, her power. The reader finds her own power and place along the way too. Not to be missed.

This was a wonderfully written fantasy novel. I immediately fell in love with the main character and her world. I would highly recommend it to kids *and* adults!

Interesting read. Certainly a different writing style. Difficult to hold my interest until late in the book. It shows great imagination. It is not a casual read.

In the old Zork video games were these nasty critters called grues. If you went into the caverns without a candle you'd likely be eaten by one, but you never encountered them in the light and had no idea what they looked like. Somehow, it was a lot spookier that way.

I'm not saying that Billingsley based her Folk off the Zorkian grues, but both were likely inspired by the same old legends about ravenous teeth lurking in the unknowable darkness.

Instead of avoiding the Folk, like a video game adventurer would, fifteen-year-old Corrina Stonewall seeks them out. Armed only with her courage and a collection of dubious charms, Corrina spends long hours in the cellar "tending" the Folk--that is to say, keeping a journal of what the ravenous creatures eat and providing a bit of herself on the occasions that they're still hungry.

Corrina has to pass at being a boy in order to keep this plum of a work assignment, but at least it's better than scrubbing floors.

As we get to know Corrina through her Folk journal, we discover that this Folk Keeper's gender is not her only secret. She also has strange abilities and a secret past that she herself does not even guess at. The writing is powerful and poetic, and the ending is sure to please.

If you read this book, make sure you have a nightlight handy in your bedroom. Or else, you might be eaten by a grue.

I know there are a lot of books about girls pretending to be boys ( like the books by Tamora Pierce), but this one blows them all away, until only The Folk Keeper stands in all its glory on a podium made of gold.
Now, I did not think I would ever read a perfect fantasy book. Either the character is not fully developed or the writing style is boring/cheesy or it is bogged down with romance. After reading The Folk Keeper, I knew I had found the perfect book. Corinna is immediately a lovable character, a character you stand up for, that you know like the back of your hand. The plot is formed out of seemingly magical hands, spinning a tight web about you that you just can't break till the end. The end, I must tell you, is perfect, it is glorious, it gives you shivers on the back of your neck. And it's all because of the author's extraordinary writing style. Each word is perfectly placed, each scene completely vivid in your mind, until Corinna's world seems to be surrounding you on all sides -- until it is part of you, until you are part of it. I will say again: Do not stop with Tamora Pierce, thinking that no one could possibly write another good book about a girl disguised as a boy. Read The Folk Keeper(it is a million times better!!!). Enjoy!

I adore Goosebumps because I like scary books. The best parts are the funny parts. I get frightened and put the book down and stare at the wall, thinking why am I scared. That's why I give this book 5 stars.

I loved it! It was very interesting, I could'nt put it down! I'm over thirteen years old but i still love it. What i like about the goosebumps series is that every age group usually loves it! This book strayed a little away from what I have known R.L. Stine to write, but it was still good. The title is deceptive though. It says "The Haunted School", but this book wasn't really about ghosts. I think a better title would be "The secret of grayworld"

R.L. Stine is a master of suspense! He once again writes so well it feels as if you are standing there. The details are tremendous and the flow is quick and exciting. This is a GREAT book!

This is my favorite Goosebumps book of all time!

I loved the plot and thought that it was amazing. The story is basically about kids from the school from earlier years to when the book takes place who are trapped inside the wall! How original?

This is the best in the series, and everyone who love(s) this series will love this one.

Tommy Frazers dad just got married.now tommy got a new mom.and he going to a new school.tommy gets lost at that school it is very big.also theres a class room with black and white people in there this is a okay book it has a wierd endening

A student of mine brought this to class to share. After reading it aloud to my K/1 class, I ordered one for the classroom and one for my aide, who fell in love with the story. A winner, for sure!

This is a great children's book that, I think, helps children develop empathy for other animals. Very sweet book.

Judy Schachner in her pre-Skippyjon Jones days, created a memorable, touching, loving picture of an old, old cat that gains new purpose when he's introduced to a spunky new Siamese kitten. I fell in love with the book when I borrowed it from my local library and had to get a copy of my own. When I read this to the kids at the school where I work, they fell in love with Simon as well. Schachner has deep insight into cats and kittens and it comes through beautifully in this must read book.

Who'd a thunk the author of Skippy John Jones (psycho kitty) would also be a softy. I truly love this story since we have an ancient cat and a rambunctious kitten ourselves.

The Grannyman, by Judith Byron Schachner is one of the better children's cat books out there. I was absolutely delighted and I must admit a bit surprised when I read this one. Schachner is the author of the Skippyjon Jones books, which are on my favorites list and I am not sure how she was able to transition from cat stories about a little kitten who is a complete mess, to one about a lovely old cat like Grannyman. First, I must admit to being able to relate to both the characters of Skippyjon and to Grannyman. When I was a kid, I could well have been a prototype for Skippyjon and now that I am old, I fit the profile of Grannyman pretty well.

Anyway, this is the story of a very old Siamese cat by the name of Simon. He is blind, deaf and his bones ache and creak. Simon has lived a long life with a very loving family and now spends most of his time in his calico chair looking out into space and dreaming of his life since he was a kitten. The book reviews this old cat's life from the time he was a kitten to the resent. Delightful pictures and wonderful text tell his story. Then, feeling absolutely useless in his dotage, one Tuesday night, Simon sticks his bony old legs in the air and breaths his last....or so he thinks!

Suddenly, plunk, his loving human family drop a new kitten right on Simon's belly. Simon suddenly has a new life. This new little member of the family becomes Simon's charge and Simon his teacher. This is absolutely wonderful.

While this is the story of an old cat, living in a loving home, it is actually the story of all of us, or how all of us should be anyway, as we grow older. What an excellent way to teach children of the aging process in a very gentle and happy way. It is also an excellent way to teach those of us well in to our dotage that life is not over until it is over.

Splendid and lively art work is found in this work and while not as wild as that found in Skippyjon books, it is quite appropriate for this particular story. The text is very well done. I, like another reviewer was hesitant at first about reading this one as I felt it was going to have a sad ending and I avoid books like that at all cost. I was very well pleased and I need not have feared. This work is a must for cat lovers of all ages in particular, animal lovers in general, and all good hearted people. Most importantly though, the kids all seem to love it. I should also not that this author wrote I know n Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie which is a wonderful work also.

I recommend this book for all little girls of color. This includes biracial and adopted girls who can also become quite conflicted about their amazing locks.

Even though they may be surrounded by friends and immediate family with similar hair, sometimes they stop seeing the rich beauty of their own hair. They start comparing themselves with their family members with different hair.

This book was perfect for us. A godsend.

I think this book should be given to every family that adopts across racial barriers and recommended to every African American and biracial family (where one parent is of African descent).

Even better it should be read in every elementary school in America. The beauties of long, straight (especially blond) hair is extolled throughout children's literature. So should people of all cultures hear the beauty of African hair extolled.

I loved Ms. Tarpley's comments about her own hair journey. I am so grateful that she wrote this book. I wish it had been around 60 years ago so that many generations of girls could have seen the beauty of their hair affirmed in print.

I have loved every book written by Ms. Tarpley. I find them educational and uplifting. This book is no exception.

My older niece loves this book, all about a black girl who, as you expect, loves her hair.

She describes it in various poetic and imaginative terms - her hair can be like a globe, or be spun into a braid; it's curly like a vine winding into space; she likes to wear her hair in "ponytails like wings".

There are some unnecessarily didactic elements - kids at school teased her, so her teacher talked to them about having Pride in Your Heritage (a good concept, the whole book is about that, but that page wasn't so well-handled, I think), and her mother starts talking to her directly about how she's "lucky to have this head of hair" when she complains that haircombing *hurts* sometimes.

Also, some of the illustrations have odd perspective - I'm thinking specifically of one where she's going down the street with beads in her hair.

However, overall this is a really great book. And my nieces (aged five and 2.5) agree. They love reading this book.

My daughter loved this book as it has vivid illustrations and really helps to promote a love for African American hair!

IF YOU WERE THINKING OF BUYING THE BOOK "NAPPY HAIR", GET THIS ONE INSTEAD. ITS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN.

This is an excellent book for building confidence in African-American girls about the natural beauty of their hair. The pictures are wonderfully done and contribute to the feeling of pride you get when reading this book. My daughter especially related to the part where the little girl makes music with the beads in her hair, and I try to remember to be as compassionate as the mom in the book when I comb her hair.