Schools Books

Staying Pure#1 Very well done. Able to see clearly the lettering. Excellent stories, helpful for the elderly as well as the youth.

Originally brought this book for my pre-teen daughter because she read all the books in the "Carmen Browne" pre-teen series. I read this book first and decided it was not for pre-teens. The story lines are too mature for her now. Because the stories are true to life and well written, I plan to save them for her to read later.

Mrs. Moore has an excellent way of addressing real life issues and demonstrating how young people can make God honoring choices in each situation. I read two of the series and plan to read the rest.

I bought this book and book II at my local library book sale. It was in the religion section, and I thought the book cover was interesting, especially after I saw it was written by an African-American writer. I didn't realize at the time that the book was directed towards teen girls, but I enjoyed the book tremendiously. Not only teen females have spiritual blocks...Anyway, I loved both books and even got my mother to read, she enjoyed them as well. I will be reading more books from this author and you should as well!

In the story Staying Pure by Stephanie Perry Moore, this story talks of teenage relationships and decisions one might have to make in those relationships. The main characters in the story start out with Payton Skyy, a senior in school who is the cheerleading captain, president of the honour society, vice president of the Student Goverment Association, senior editor of our newspaper staff, and a debutante.

Dakari Graham, Payton's two-year boyfriend in the begining of the story, an honour student, and the star of thier school. In their relationship Dakari wants to have intimate relations with Payton, but because of Payton's Christian views and her belief's in them she declined to them.

She very much loved Dakari but knew that it was wrong to do so. Dakari, who wanted to have intimate relations with Payton had a one-night stand with a girl named Starr at a restaraunt, and left Payton for this girl. Payton was devistated and did many rash things to win him back even thoughit was the same reason she had retaliated, and even thent her efforts were meaningless.

It took her a long time to ease the pain of what Dakari had done to her and leave her. She stopped eating she was depressed, the usual thing that happens when a girl gets her heart broken. Then after she got passed it a little, she had even more problems with her friends, 1 had cheated on her and the other was tested positive for pregnancy, she helps them through this.

She then starts to get to know another boy of her acquiantance, Tad Taylor and they spend some time together. I think that Tad is a perfect match for Payton and a very good influence on her as well. This book helps young christian woman and men get a good godly view on things.

I think this book could have given a bit of a better ending but it was still a very good book to read. Also i would like to recommend this book for mature audiences only and at the very least 16+ if anything.

My daughter and a group of young high school girls read the book. The discussion was eye opening. I am proud to see so many young ladies with values that align with the book. It definately sparked conversation and I hope to introduce more young ladies to it early so that they have something to think about. It is all about choices.

A must read for anyone with type 1 diabetes, or who knows someone with type 1 diabetes, or who likes to read a great book.

I was driving when my 8 year old daughter announced that "Stacy has type 1 too, mom!" "Who is Stacy?" I asked her. "Stacy, the babysitter..." she replied. I started to tell her she didn't have a sitter named Stacy when I realized she was talking about the book she was reading, The Truth about Stacy. How cool! My daughter has type 1 diabetes and had found a heroine who she could really relate to!

We got other BSC books from the old series to read (not the graphic novels), but they hadn't been updated the way the versions Raina Telgemeier illustrated and adapted. Kudos to Raina, who took the time to learn about type 1 and make sure the information was up to date and accurate.

I love the BSC, and the earliest books in the series are my favorites. Ann Martin is one heck of a writer, and this third book in the BSC series tackles some serious issues - Stacey's struggles with diabetes, moving to a new town and fitting in, the loss and re-gain of old friends. A subplot in this book is the girls dealing with a copycat club called the Baby-Sitters Agency that threatens to put them out of business.
Ann, I wish you had written every single book in the series and not used ghostwriters for so many of them!

Raina Telgemaier has outdone herself in this adaptation of a book from the incomparable Baby-sitters Club series!!

This book was one of the best books in the baby sitter club serious and you know there were a LOT! This book really got deep in to Staceys feelings about having deiabets and her strugles with that.
Also the whole club is faced with a problem...some one else has started there own baby sitters club!!!!!!!
Now this wouldn't be so bad if that club wasn't getting more people calling them....and then when that club pays a trick on them the baby sitters club knows the other club HAS to go!!!

I thought that this book was brillantly written! go AMM!I mean of course there is going to be compeition and everything with the club, and how sometimes parents can be so impossiable! even though we know that they do care they seem a little overprotective and dont really listen to what we have to say, so i like this book a lot. and i like it when stacey and charollete bonds, this book is realy good. and its so sad how stacey was upset because she cares about the babysitters club because she doesnt want to lose any of her friends, and i liked that her and laine[her former best friend] were cool again.

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.

Yertle the turtle wasn't content being king of the pond. - This story teaches you about being happy where you are.
The other stories are about being happy with WHO you are. Being happy just being you.

And Not Bragging cause someone is going to call you on it.

Great stories :) I love Dr Suess

i really love this boook, since Liz is my fave character, i love how she and conner ended up together.4 all liz coner fans, u must have it

at first it was about Liz n Conner heading back from the party, n they kissed again, Conner showed a lot of concerns n care bout her. Unfortunately, Mr Wkefield caught them on the door, Liz n her parents argued, and Liz stormed to her room.

Jess told Will bout the situation on the phone, and he felt grateful to have sum1 laike Will.
the next morning, before class, Conner walked over to Liz,asking, again with concern how was she doing, and kissed her on the hallway.

when Liz worried that Conner would just back up again from her, it wqas told bye megan that las night, Conner came back from party all happy, goofy face.

Conner thought that he was about becoming Liz's bf, at 1st he was not happy, but "and for the fisrt time in his life, that seemes not bad at all"
at lunch, jess asked liz n conner 2 do double date, n the gang teased conner n liz bout being couple.

conner didn't want to go on double date, but Liz succeed to sweet tal;k him, and it seems like Conner takes Liz seriously.

in the other hand, Jess started to feel irritated that Will always tells her whta to do, n she had to do that
oh ,d wakefields forgave liz n gave liz second chance.

The doulble date was horrible, but we could see that conner put much efforts there, showing how sweet he can be after he falls for liz.

Will Jess had a fight, Will left Jess in the mexican restaurant.
the next day,conner was invited to big mesa party, at 1st he thought it would be a great escape from liz.
but he ended up asked liz to come.

while he pick up liz,who brought jess, mr n mrs W wanted him to stop by 1st and said hi.
it was awkward n hard 4 conner, but again, he did nice job, just 4 liz.

at d party evrybody was talkin bout conner going on an item now, and has "taken" sign all over his attitude. he also held liz hand to show his buddy that liz was his.
at the end, liz n conner make out at empty room, and jess danced w/ jeremy.

If you love Liz and Conner together, you've got to read this one! It's by far the best one in the series so far.

"All About Love" picks up where the wild party in the previous book left off--with a prim-and-proper Elizabeth Wakefield getting drunk and unexpectedly being rescued by a chivalrous Conner McDermott. After that knight-in-shining-armor scene, it appears that Conner is half-man enough to get involved with Liz once again, where before he was too commitment-phobic to even speak to her, for fear of being tied down to one person.

Will Simmons and Jessica Wakefield are obviously having some problems in this book. For starters, Will repeatedly compares Jessica to his long-term ex-girlfriend, Melissa Fox; and Jessica thinks Will is being too possessive and pushy for her taste--plus she's not entirely over her ex either. Things get worse, though, when they decide to double date with Conner and Elizabeth, and one of them walks out during the meal.

Personally, I've never cared for Will. He's obviously not over Melissa, and I still can't excuse his previous spineless behavior concerning the rumors about Jessica.

Meanwhile, Andy Marsden, the joke-cracking slacker (one of my favorite characters in this book), is trying to get "serious" (if you can ever call him that) about raising his GPA and SAT scores for college--but fails miserably. It's amusing how easily he's distracted, like when he finds his old Game Boy hiding on the floor of his closet.

Overall, "All About Love" is another great addition to the SVH Senior Year series, though the title is a little misleading if you're expecting an in-depth explanation on love or expect everyone to be happy with who they're currently with--and that just won't happen, because where would the fun be in that? The unknown ghostwriter (Francine Pascal is just the creator of this series, not the actual writer) continues to generate enjoyably fast-paced stories that are barely printed fast enough for her(?) hungry fans, who can usually devour one or more of them a day. The chat room conversations, short stories, and journal entries certainly make this series more hip and popular than other teen romance series out there.

wow, i really loved this book. id have to say that this might be the best one in the series. I have been waiting forever for conner to finally admit that he does care about Liz and then freaking not dump her after a week. Thank god that didnt happen, like maria and all his other "conquests". although, i did feel bad for maria for a splitsecond about them getting together...since she was so crushed before. oh wait, shes dating Ken. nevermind, i guess this is a good book because my favorite couple finally admited that they were in l-o-v-e and are happy about it. :) doesnt it make you wish there were a conner for everyone?
makes me wish that...;)

The thirteenth book in the SVHSY series is no disappointment. Big things are happening between Will and Jessica and Elizabeth is recovering from her stint as a bad girl.
Jessica and Will are fighting more often because Will is acting like a total pig. Melissa has noticed this and has come up with a plan to get Will back. Instead of trying to break them up Melissa is ignoring Will in the attempt to make Will see what he is missing. After yet another fight Jessica spends the night with Jeremy at a party and Will goes back to Melissa!
Andy is in a frazzle as he realises he has no career plan or college mapped out after seeing the guidance counsellor. He gets even more panicked when he sees the average SAT and GPA scores that will get you accepted into the college(he sees this in The Complete Guide to Colleges!) He really wants to work harder but he keeps getting distracted.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, is in a whole lot of trouble after sneaking out while she was grounded. She also went to Cherie's party and consumed a bit too much alcohol. Her parents aren't too happy but Elizabeth and Conner look to have a stronger relationship even if Conner still hates the word 'couple.'

This is a good book like all SVHSY books. You will like it if you like teen books. This even has stories, e-mails, diary thoughts, lists and more from each character. THe books are short and they make a fun, interesting read.
Happy Reading:)

I think this is a great book because it gives you history about Germany and the Nazi's. Yes, yes most of us have heard all about it. But this book had vivid images of unhumane things that were done to these human beings. I think this is a book that helps you realize that even now a days we have problems with our society. I think it's a book that shows you the tolerance people had in that time. Lastly I must confess that I have never cried by reading a book. However, when I finished readying this book I was sobing. It's a book that really touched me. I would definitly recomment it!

Anne Frank is the most interesting book I ever read. She has interesting life with her family and friends. And it talk about her diaries and letters, including the five missing pages were found in 1998. Melissa Muller is a good writer. This is a great book to read! Beware!! in this book, it talk about who betray the eight jews in the secret annex in 1944, were never been prove who were the actual person who betray them. Read the book "The Hidden of Otto Frank" and it has a theory that someone who betray them.
The Emmy Award winning mini-series "Anne Frank" is the best mini-series I ever seen.

I recently went to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam which prompted me to reread the diary. When I was in my local bookstore I came across this book and bought it. I am glad i did.

This book, while not telling me anything I hadn't really heard before somewhere in all the history books, manages to portray the living conditions of Jews before WII broke out in a simplistic manner. This biog gives a superb timeline as such, of the events preceding the Franks going into hiding.

I also went to Dachau while in Germany, which affected me more than I thought it would, while reading about Anne's time in the camp. I knew before going to Europe and before reading Melissa Mullers book about the conditions the Nazi victims were kept in, but again this book pulled it all together. It may have been that I've been to a camp since reading anything on the subject or it may just have been the incredibly well detailed portrayal of it in this book (I suspect it may be both) but it was all brought home to me hard. As well as being detailed this became personal. In the epilogue Miep Gies writes she doesn't like to hear Anne Frank being labelled the face of the 6 million, but that is inevitable and I don't feel that it lessens the importance of any other victims.

This is a superb biography and I recommend it be read in conjunction with Anne franks Diary. I also recommend visiting the Anne Frank House should you ever have the opportunity to be in Amsterdam

This is one of the most poignant biographies that I have ever read. As with most teenagers in the late 60's and in the 70's, Anne's diary was required reading in our highschool. I remember reading it, but not paying the attention I should have, because as a teenager, her story seemed to be a part of a world that no longer existed. Teenagers cannot appreciate the reality of that time, and though I grew up during the angst of the civil rights era and the Vietnamese War, it was not until some other life happenings occurred that I can now appreciate her story. This includes becoming a mother and an activist for disability rights, and seeing for myself in small and distant ways, man's inhumanity to man.

Muller did an exquisite job in the biography. She avoided speculation, which seems to be a problem for writers of biographies. Anne's story cannot be fully appreciated without more knowledge of her family and the people who protected them. As Anne and her father lived without bitterness for their fate, so too did Melissa Muller write with patience and understanding far beyond the abilities of most of us.

The book is eloquent in its simple praise for the goodness of people who made the right choices during that conflict between good and evil. I hope that reading of the courage of Miep Gies and her husband, and the others in the business formerly owned by Otto Frank, will inspire all of its readers to stand up for what is right whatever situation we may find ourselves in.

My heart still aches for the waste of human potential. And yet, Anne fulfilled so much of that potential and continues to inspire long after her life was over. Much of my heartache was felt for her parents, who in their desire to be with their children, left it until too late to get their children to safety. I understand their choices, and I know they must have lived with the knowledge that they put their children at great risk and berated themselves.

My admiration for the people in Holland and other occupied countries who helped those singled out for destruction on the basis of race and prejudice is immense. I continue to be surprised at how much was done by people who were not perfect, and at their own risk. This is a near perfect biography, in writing and in intelligence. I wish there were more like this out there...
Karen Sadler
University of Pittsburgh

From the years of 1939 to 1945 mankind endured the darkest period of evil and brutality that has gone unparalleled in the modern (and ancient) era. One wicked man's irrational, murderous hatred and insatiable lust for power, combined with the cruel, sociopathic personalities of cowardly henchmen such as Hoess, Himmmler, Goering, and Eichmann, to name a mere few, swept the continent of Europe into total devastation and near destruction, destroying dreams and cancelling the futures of the soldiers who fought for both sides, those who were simple bystanders in bombing raids, and others who simply had the misfortune to be considered "undesirable" and who perished in inhumane, intolerable conditions in horrendous concentration camps such as Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Dachau, Treblinka, Sobibor, and Neuengamme. The dreadfulness of their pain and the senseless of their deaths cannot be imagined, described, forgiven, or forgotten.

One of the millions who was murdered during the Holocaust was Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who lived in hiding with her older sister Margot, their parents Otto and Edith, Hermann and Auguste Van Pels, their son Peter, and Dr Fritz Pfeffer, a dentist, in Amsterdam, Holland, in the secret annexe of the office building which still stands at 263 Prinsengracht. As a literary work and historical document, Anne's diary is perhaps one of the most important volumes to emerge from the twentieth century. However, when reading it, one must remember that it was written by an ordinary teenage girl who was forced to exist under extraordinary and wearisome conditions that would have strained the patience of the Lord himself. Neither Anne nor her co-habitants saw anyone but each other and their benefactors day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out. Hence I feel that the above situation must be considered when reflecting on her often harsh views of her fellow annexe dwellers.

Melissa Muller's book is a great companion to the diary but should not be read instead of it - to do this would be severely shortchanging to oneself. It provides a rounder, fuller narrative of the times, places, and people in Anne's life and of those that decided her fate. From the rise of the Nazi's and their use of bullying tactics as their tyranny and terrorism begins, to Anne's formative years, and a broader, wider, more objective description of the Frank's life in hiding. Particularly heartrending are the chapters in which Melissa Muller describes 4 August 1944, the day the annexe dwellers were arrested, betrayed, like Judas betrayed Jesus, for a symbolic twelve pieces of silver, and previously little known details of Anne's life in the death camps Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen as she bravely fought, and bravely lost, the battle for survival. The tears will fall as the words are read, as they will fall as we share the moment that Otto Frank learns of the terrible fate of his daughters. To lose a beloved spouse is bad enough, but to lose your child, to lose both your children, is an unfathomable and unimaginable grief that never fades even with the passage of many years. And Otto Frank was only one of many parents during the war whose children would never come home..............

Yes, this is a great biography of Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who became world famous because of her diary, who became world famous because she expired in a concentration camp. But Anne is not merely ashes or dust - her soul lives on. And what of her diary? Her diary, the contents of which she guarded so fiercely, has become a gift to millions.

We've always read this book with our kids- the whole extended family does. It is a wonderful book. And because of the repetition in it, kids can read it themselves from young age. The illustrations are fantastic, and just scary enough.

I had this book when I was little but over the years it "disappeared". When I saw it available on Amazon, I had to get it! I'm creating a collection of books I read as a child so I can pass them on to my children. I've always enjoyed books by the Berenstains! Their illustrations are very vivid and charming. The storylines in the books are very easy for a child to follow. You should also check out Richard Scarry's children's books.

My husband and I both loved this book as children. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they're still being made.

Most all of the Berenstain Bears books are fun. This one is a favorite. It is a little spooky, but not enough to scare a three year old child. The Bright & Early Berenstain books are fun and quick to read (good books for new readers).

The storyline itself is a fun adventure for any child to enjoy, and not scary. The book works well for children with low attention spands, and/or for children with a beginner level of reading skills. This book has always been a favorite throughout my family's growth.

Inspired by a true story, Marguerite Henry continues her literary tradition--showcasing a love of horse (and mule) flesh for young
adult readers. Unlike the homespun crises in MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE
this story takes readers into the harsh world of professional horse racing, with its stark risks and grim realities. Set in Okalahoma then in Kentucky in the 1920's this story relates the birth and racing career of a thoroughbred whose smaller stature causes him almost to be overlooked for serious training. Fortunately for horse and owner, Black Gold is loved by his young jockey, Jaydee--an Irish youth who recognizes the colt's potential and often argues with his adult trainer.

There is inevitable conflict over the horse's training and career
among the men who admire him--a struggle of wills, knowledge
and equine insight which result in Jadyee's psychological coming-of-age.
This YA weepie provides a realistic lens on various aspects of life around Track--culminating with a running of the historic Kentucky Derby itself. Horse and Youth must demonstrate that it's the size of the heart in each one, working as a team, which ultimately matters in a highly competitive world. Even adults are advised to keep a hanky handy as Henry's tale unfolds.

It was great! I loved how it was Real and how U-See-It's colt (Black Gold) was able to get back in raceing, and how the trainer and the jockey kept their hearts up when there was bad time. It was a great book. I read it really carefully that how good it was! I recomend this book to everyone, even non- horselovers. Really read it, i mean it. P.S it was a ture story.

I felt very sad reading this book because all the story characters died. But I liked the book alot because Black Gold won a lot of races and you see it. My favorite part was when You See It had her colt Black Gold.

Black Gold is a wonderful and exciting book written by Marguerite Henry. This book takes place in the early 1900's. It's main settings are in Oklahoma in the Skiatook Derby and in Chickasha. It also takes place in Kentucky in the Kentucky derby and on the Idle Hour Farm. This book is based on a true story about a racing horse named U-See-It and her colt named Black Gold. One of the most important events in this book is when U-See-It is banished from all racing tracks in the United States because her owner, Al Hoots, refuses to sell her at a claiming race. After that, U-See-It is sent to Kentucky to have her colt, Black Gold.
Black Gold becomes a great racing horse and wins the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately, Black Gold is injured from a quarter crack in his hoof. As time goes on, Black Gold's leg falls off and Black Gold eventually dies. He has a burial ceremony and is buried in the middle of a field in New Orleans.
One of the main conflicts is a person to person conflict because Black Gold's jockey, an Irish boy named Jaydee Mooney, can't agree with Black Golds trainer, Mister Webb, about how to fix the quarter crack. I really enjaoed this book and I think you will too. Marguerite Henry did an excelent job of writing this book. So go and read Black Gold!

This book is excellent. Anyone of any age will enjoy the book immensely. This is one of the few books that I cried while reading to my kids.

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.

I am a librarian and this is a popular title in our lending library. Easy to read and easy to use

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!

This is a great book. It's not Tamora Pierce or anything, but that's too much to ask for anyway. At times the main character seems a little too knowledgeable about her own hard-heartedness, the romance a little too clumsy, and the plot a little too thought out, but, all in all, The Folk Keeper is a really intelligent and suspenseful story.

Corinna Stonewall has disguised herself as a boy-Corin-to become a folk keeper. Folk keepers protect the surrounding lands from the fierce folk, who destroy crops, livestock, and food if unpleased. Suddenly, a lady comes to take her away from her cellar. There is a dying man who wants to see her, one who not only knows that she is a girl, but many of her other secrets as well. He makes her swear to leave her town to come to his mansion, where she will be a folk keeper. She agrees, knowing the folk there are fiercer than anything she has ever encountered. While trying to keep these horrific beasts at bay, she discovers many old family grudges in the mansion, as well as secrets about herself she had never imagined. In the end, she will have to choose between the place she loves best and the place she has always been kept from...

Despite the slight stylistic problems, I myself have read this book ten or so times. It is definitely a worthy addition to any fantasy-lover's collection, and is all-around a wonderful book.

Beverly Cleary, an esteemed librarian and author of numerous children's books, shares her story about growing up in Yamhill, Oregon in the roaring twenties and depression thirties. She was born in 1916 and resides in California today. I quickly ordered the sequel, 'My Own Two Feet".

The book is a revealing glimpse at a sensitive and curious young girl, an only child, coping with early childhood and her school years in Oregon. The Williamette Valley and Portland, Oregon, are beautifully described as the area was in the early 20th. century.

Beverly shares family pictures, provides pioneer ancestor background, describes her schools and teachers, social life and interests in a delightfully easy to read manner. Her mother taught Beverly book appreciation, as well as music and reminded her always to "use her imagination"!

I love this woman for her keen insights and independence, and recommend her memoir (and all her children's books as well.) It is surprisingly different from other memoirs and holds your interest all the way thru, leaving you wanting to know more about her as she connects with the reader in a personal way.

Beverly Cleary
A girl from Yamhill
Author: Beverly Cleary

Mostly all children love and grow up reading Beverly Cleary's books. But some wonder, "What was her childhood like?" In this autobiography, Beverly Cleary tells the story of her life. It starts out from when she's a little girl living on a big farm in Yamhill, Oregon and goes all the way until she's in her senior year in Portland. Beverly lived in Portland near Klickitat Street which inspired her for the Ramona series, which are one of the most favored today.
Once, Beverly's elementary teacher assigned her class a creative writing project. When Beverly turned in hers, her teacher was so pleased with her writing that she read Beverly's paper out loud to the class and told her she had a gift for writing. Beverly wasn't a really good speller in elementary school. Her class held a spelling bee and she was given the word "beautiful" to spell. She started out with "beau..." but someone gasped which made Beverly think she'd spelled it wrong. Beverly ended up spelling the word "beau..." and was disqualified. When she was younger she wouldn't read any books. Her mother didn't understand. All of Beverly's relatives loved reading. Eventually, one time she was sick, she finally found her love for reading.
I really enjoyed this book and would rate it a 4 and a half because I myself love Beverly's books and it was really interesting to read about her life. I usually don't like biographies/ autobiographies, but this one really got me interested.
I think Beverly's a little like me because we both refused to read when we were little. I didn't hate reading, but all of the books I wanted to read weren't the kinds of book my mom wanted me to read. I wanted to read books about teen life and very up-to-date. My mother wanted me to read historical fiction and/or nonfiction. I love all books now except for nonfiction.
Beverly's style of writing is creative, descriptive and very fun to read. Most of her books are for younger children but she has written a couple for teens.

_A Girl From Yamhill_ by Beverly Clearly is a memoir. She writes about her memories of Beverly's early life to where she escapes her home to go to junior college in California.
Beverly tells us when her first baby tooth came out, when she recieved her first love letter from a boy she liked for 3 years. Beverly also tells us about her first date Gerhart she despised.
It is a great book that everyone will love.

i loved the ramona quimby books growing up. i read them until they fell apart. after reading A Girl from Yamhill, i'm considering buying and reading them all over again. Beverly Cleary writes so simply with few descriptions and yet you can see, hear, smell, feel everything she writes about. i am never left wondering or wanting. her love of people and places, especially when she writes about her grandparents and Puddin', shines through without the annoying wordiness i find in other memoirs.

i especially loved the pictures scattered throughout the books. she is adorable and you can see a little bit of ramona in her. :)

I ordered Beverly Cleary's two autobiographies on Amazon, and recieved them last week. The first of the two is called, "A Girl From Yamhill" and the second is, "My Own Two Feet". Both are excellently written. The first is of her childhood until she goes off to college and the second is her college days and a few years beyond. She has a style of writing that makes you feel as though you have known her your whole life and are the dearest of friends. What amazed me the most about these books is how timeless they are. Even though she grew up during the depression and went to college before the advent of computers and the technology boom, it was eye opening to see that the human condition and experiences don't really change all that much. She is an excellent storyteller, and the words on the page lept into my mind's eye and I could see it unfold before as if I were watching it on a movie screen. I was sad to see the first book end, but glad that I had ordered the second book as well. Then when I finished the second book I found myself wishing that she had written another book to tell more of her life's stories. I finished reading them both within a couple of days and found myself doing something I have never done before. I immediately began to read them again ( I am currently half way through the first book). If you grew up loving her children's books as I did, then these are a must have.