Schools Books

I have had this book over 10 years and it is wonderful. It introduced me to mythology and hooked me from the beginning. I remember spending much time studying the pictures which are bright and detailed. Beyond being entertaining, the stories helped to prepare me for the frequent references to greek mythology in all types of art.

Our daughter received this book when she was about three, we started reading it to her one night, and for the next five years at least we continued reading and re-reading through it every night. Talk about an early start on the great Greek Myths! To this day I'm sure Athena's owl is still flapping and hooting about in her brain. Really, this was the best possible way for our kids to discover and imbibe these great god and goddess, hero and heroine legends. Each tale is told in a straightforward page or two with one or two unpretentious but memorable color illustrations. That treatment worked well because the stories themselves are so plainly marvelous. Our son liked them too for quite a while, but then moved on to the D'Aulaire book of the Norse myths, and ultimately he was attracted more to non-fiction than to fiction. I hope my own writing is influenced by the years we spent with the D'Aulaires. Take Me With You When You Go

When I was only a few years old, the first book my father ever read to me from and that I in turn read from was D'aulaires Book of Greek Myths, and that has proven to be the spark that kindled my fascination with human societies. My single greatest passion is the chronology of human history, which was stirred in me at a very young age by this book, without which I cannot even imagine the difference in my life. I never would have read the Iliad and the Odyssey, which spurred me into the Aeneid, which in turn created a desire to learn more of factual Greece and Rome (respectively), which then broadened my interests towards the civilations of Mesopotamian antiquity, eventually encompassing the whole world. I am now an undergraduate student of anthropology at one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country, and my life would never have been the same without the advent of this book.

I bought this for my godsons (5 and 7) based on my own fond memories of this work. I remembered the wonderful drawings and the vividly told stories from Greek Mythology and was happy to have passed this along to another generation. Some of the stories require a bit of editing when used as bedtime storytelling ("Why did he marry his sister?"). I plan on getting the Norse Myths collection for Christmas this year.

I really like the way this book is written because each story blends easily into the next. The pictures really help the younger ones to follow along and it makes the myths more enjoyable to read. I bought this to read to my young daughter and she really enjoyed it.

I read this book the first time when I was in Jr. high school. I know I have reread it at least ten times. I have 2 copies one falling apart and one to lend to friends. As you can surely see I love this book.

Yes! I have read a few books that I wanted to read again. However, "Mrs. Mike" by Benedict and Nancy Freedman found me wanting to re-read chapters the first time through.
This treasure will be stored in a special place to be read again and again when I want to go back in time, feel feelings and thank God for talented authors.
I wish I had found it as a teenager, or a young mother. Guess this retiree should just be grateful that I was given this warm gift in my latter years.

Mrs Mike is an old friend. I first read and enjoyed this book more than 35 years ago. This story chronicals the life of mountie Sgt Mike and Mrs. Mike. It honestly chronicals these lives and shows that it is in the sharing of the small things that make life joyful. I'm so happy to be able to now be able to now share this book with my neice

I just got this book again since I lost/loaned my first copy. Although some have critisized the writing style, and the facts, I really enjoyed this book. I think it's one to keep on your shelf and pull out from time to time to reread.

I found this book in the school library when I was in 7th grade. I read it every year I was in school there. It was a wonderful story about a young girl who falls in love with a good man and talks about their life together. It made me laugh, cry, and cry some more. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good story. It is a great book.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is about a boy named Greg who is wimpy and is addicted to video games. It is written like a diary instead of a story. I like this book because Greg loves video games, and I love video games. You will love this book because it's funny.

I ordered this book for my son, but its arrival missed his departure on a long summer trip by a few days, so it ended up sitting on his playroom table before mysteriously disappearing a week later. Eventually I found out that the son of a family friend had stopped by and noticed the book. He could not put it down once he started reading, so my wife let him take it home. That sounds like a five-star recommendation to me.

This is an excellent story and easy read for preteens and adults alike. The lead character's misadventures are hilarously funny gems with little morals tucked inside. I would recommend this to anyone who has a middle schooler at home. Also, Amazon delivered this item as promised, at a fair price, securely packed and in excellent condition. I will order future books through Amazon due to their superior service.

First book in the Wimpy Kid series.

Greg keeps a journal to record the events of his first year in middle school. He writes about getting put into teh gifted reading group, " I was pretty disappointed to find out I got put in the Gifted group, because that just means a lot of extra work."

Greg wonders about popularity and grades as he tries to figure out who he wants to be. His family doesn't help--his older brother is a creep and his younger brother tattles constantly. His parents, well, they are simply clueless. his best friend, Rowley, is not the sharpest crayon in the box and Greg is always trying, and failing, to explain the complicated rituals of adolescence. For instance, "I have told Rowley at least a billion times that now that we're in middle school, you're supposed to say 'hang out,' not 'play.' But no matter how many noogies I give him, he always forgets the next time.

The book is written on lined paper, with lots of funny little drawings, so it really feels like reading someone's journal. Greg's voice is fresh and funny.

I won't take up a lot of space describing this book since there are already good reviews on here. I bought this book at my school during a book fair. I am so glad I did. Many of the students wanted to read it, but weren't able to purchase it. Instead, I promised to read it to my kids. They loved it! I think that they can relate to Greg's realistic voice. He sounds like any kid you would meet. Not to mention he is very flawed and hysterically funny. I loved the second book as well, and I can't wait until January for the third one. This is perfect for middle schoolers.

I think this book was read to me in school many many years ago. I remembered it as an adult and purchased it for sentimental reasons. I think it reminded me of The Secret Garden in a way. The seashell cottage was the perfect hideaway that every little girl could dream of making her own. I loved the story of Mandy and found myself wistfully wishing that I had a place like that as a child. What a wonderful story that Julie Andrews has created. I will cherish it always and keep it to pass down to the young girls in my family.

I read and reread this book about 5 or so times as a child. I simply loved the adventure of it all about the protagonist discovering a home away from home that she could call her very own. This is a fascinating tale for children who love to live in their adventurous daydreams and who love secret hiding places of their own where they can just "be". Although this is a book I would reccomend to children, I wouldn't reccomend it to adults as the plot and drama is very minimal. Adults would be bored of this whereas most children, especially little girls, would be fascinated by the simplicity and beauty described within its pages.

Mandy is obviously the protagonist of this story. She is an orphaned child living in an orphanage with other children of the state. She has a friend that she bonds with over time and gets along farily well with eveyone else, as well as the staff, until the day that mandy climbs over the wall of the orpganage and discovers an abandon cottage! She decides from that moment thatthe cottage is hers and her secret hideaway. She begins to do things that are uncharacteristic of her such as lying about where she has been, stealing from the orphanage supplies to take and supply her new home with, and is suddenly secretive with everyone, even her best friend. Read on to find out about Mandy and what she goes through as a child trying to make a cottage into a home and keep her secret place just that... secret.

Although this book is aimed to appeal to girls approximately between the ages of 7-13, I was in college when Mandy was first released. Being a hugh fan of Julie Andrews, I of course bought the book and was amazed that I could not put it down! To me, a great book has the ability to transport the reader from their day-to-day life into another time and place. I was mesmerized by this charming story from beginning to end as I am sure every child who reads it will be. Mandy is not only a sweet, likeable orphan, but she is very positive role model for children, showing that if you try hard enough, you can make your dreams come true. I admire Mandy's spirit and courage to go after her dream of someday having a real family.
I had read that because Julie Andrews lost a bet to her teenage step-daughter Jenny, that her forfeit was to write her a story, which turned into this wonderful book! Lucky for us readers, the result of that bet gave us our first glimpse at yet another one of Julie Andrews' many talents.
It's been 30 years now since I first read Mandy and I still have my original version of this book in a prominant place on my bookshelf, along with a hardback copy of Mandy and each updated version that has been printed. All the young girls in my family have read this classic book and loved it as much as I do. I only hope someday a movie version of this beautiful story is produced.

I purchased this book with my own money when it first came out thirty-six years ago. I was eight years old. I still have it on my bookshelf and shared it with my own children. This is truly a classic and I hope that someday it will be adapted for the screen!

This book reminds me a lot of "The Secret Garden" without being quite as preachy and overly descriptive. My two daughters absolutely love this book and consider it one of their favorites.

At one time, this was my favorite redwall book. It was also the first redwall book I read all of. In this book, the fearless badger lord Urthstripe the Strong leads his army of long patrol hares in a battle against the cruel Ferahgo the Assasin. Read this book, it's great!

While the book itself is very good (according to my 12 yr. old son), the size is different than the rest and he likes things orderly (especially since there are so many in this series) so we ended up going out and purchasing the same book, but by "Ace" publishers so they would all fit on his bed shelf.

The Book of Salamandstron



Salamandstron, written by Brian Jacques in 1992 and published in 1993, is the fifth book in the Redwall Series. Like all Redwall books, Salamandstron is an animal adventure saga, which picturesquely describes a stunning tale set in medieval times. Intently, because of the strength of the story line, the reader will continue on through the book, like a bookworm, to find out what happens in the end When finished the person who examines this book, will have perused 391 obsessive pages, which, as interpreted, would have taken the reader through the world of Redwall.



Since the book, at times, tells five different stories, there are several different main characters and several antagonists. The first main character to be introduced is Lord Uthstripe the Strong, the Badger lord of Salamandstron, a mountain fortress. The Badgers lords of this massive mountain are mysterious characters. They are fierce fighters and reckless worries, who at times can be possessed by the terrible blood wrath and kill all in sight. Uthstrip's adopted daughter Mara, at the beginning of the book, was not content with her life at Salamandstron. The military fortress was strict and forcible, and Mara did not like her restrictions. Samkin, a young squirrel, contentedly lived at Redwall Abbey. In the beginning he was very mischievous and many times because of his carelessness, almost caused serous injuries. Ferahgo was an evil, cruel, pain-causing tyrant, who was the assassin weasel and chieftain of the horde of corps makers. Cruelly he Murdered Urthstripes parents and caused Urthstripe and his albino brother to be separated. Ferahgo's son Klitch was just as evil and crafty as his father. Fighting against each other, both wanted control of Salamandstron. Another enemy (although not a living creature) gets introduced about half way through the book. A terrible sickness called Dryditch Fever takes hold of the Abbey. It almost wipes out all. Although the characters all have different story lines within the book, each one is tied together in the end.



Opening at Salamandstron, the story begins with gloom. From the first, as Urthstripe reveals his anxiety for Mara with the words "Any sign of Mara yet?" it tells of Mara's discontentedness with the strictly ruled life she is living. It opens with her gone on one of her frequent run-a-ways. When she returns after two days absence from the mountain she brings two vermin, one of them Klitch, who falsely befriended her. Urthstripe throws the weasel and his companion out of the mountain, and Mara becomes so angry that she runs away for good. Accidentally (at Redwall) Samkin finds the skillfully crafted sword of the Legendary Hero, Martin the Warrior, but two stoats evilly steal the magnificent sword. The vermin were part of Ferahgo's horde but deserted. Samkin and Arula (Samkin's mole friend) chase after the stoats because the sword, which they took, represents the spirit of Redwall and could not be lost. They met some peculiar friends. Back at the Abbey Dry Ditch Fever broke out. Everywhere, from Salamandstron to Redwall Abbey trouble seemed to be taking hold of the good guys.



As the book continues the troubles grow worse. Mara, after being chased by Ferahgo's horde, escapes, but was betrayed into the hands of King Glagweb, the head of a cannibal toad tribe. Unfortunately she and several shrews, which were also caught, were going to be served up at a special occasion. Back at Redwall Thrugg, a brave otter set out on a journey to the mountains of the north to try to find the Icetor Flowers, which will cure any sickness. Sadly, however he gets trapped. Attacking him, a horde of crows in a pine forest almost overwhelmed Thrugg and his little friend baby Dumble. Samkin and his mole friend Arula were still persistently chasing after the vermin who stole the sword, when, one died of Dryditch fever and the other was killed by Ferahgo's tracker rats. The head of the trackers took the sword and headed back to Ferahgo's horde, but Samking and Arula still followed. They followed to get back the sword, they followed for their friends at the abbey, and they followed to slay the takers of Martins legendary blade. At Redwall Abbey, as dry ditch fever took victim after victim, all but two or three animals were stricken. At Salamandstron there was great famine because Ferahgo who besieged the mountain somehow destroyed or poisoned all the mountains food. Will Redwall Abbey be wiped out, or will Thrugg get back in time with the Icetor flowers? Will Mara and her friends be eaten or will they find a way to escape? Will Samkin retrieve the great sword? Will Salamandstron hold out? To discover what happens, READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



If The book Salamandstron is amazing it is because it seizes and holds the readers attention. Having a good story line, this book is extremely well written. Undoutedly, another reason this book is so good is because Brian Jacques uses very descriptive adjectives and excellent verbs as illustrations for every scene. The story builds up suspense. Throughout, it never contradicts itself. The story is very vivid. Salamandstron is not just a book, which might be ok to glance over; it is a must-read saga.

What would you do if you were being attacked by an army of vermin, or your abbeys most prized possession, or if your abbey was being threatened by a deadly disease? Would you defend yourselves, find an antidote, or would you go after the possession? Well that is exactly what the charaters in this story did. This little world is filled with badgers, hares, vermin, mice, moles, shrews and squirrels. Also thisworld is also filled with a volcanoe, woods, seas, dunes, lakes, rivvers and enormous mountians.

In this fantasy a bagder named Mara left her home because her strict father was always punishing her. When she left, her friend ccame along with her. His name was Pikkle. On their journey they met two vermin who became frineds with them so they woild lead them to Salamandastron )(Mara's fathers fortress). There had been many rumors that there is a great fortune somewhere inside the volcanoe. So now the vermin were going to attack the fortress. Another two vermin acted as if they were lonely travelers (but they really weren't) and went to Redwall and the Red wallers accepted them. They tricked the Redwallers and stole the sword of Martin the Warrior also killing one of the Redwallers. When the vermin escaped one of them died of a deadly disease. He got the disease while at Redwall and now the Redwallers are at great risk.

What will happen to everyone? Will Salamandastron survive? Will the Redwallers perish? Will they get the sword back? This book was relly good and every time it would sound good, it would change to someone else. I would really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, action, and adventure. This is the fifth book of the 17 book series.

-Peyton

I like salamandastron for many reasons.0ne is the book has lots of action .the bookis writen by Brian Jacques.This book is fantasy because animals have human abiltys.brian writes many more books.

First let me say that this book, in my opinion, is a 4 1/2 stars. This is by no means Christopher Pike's best book, which would be "The Last Vampire", no doubt.
Christopher Pike has an incredible talent and precision for details. I love the way he can make the smallest of detail into a major part of the plot, an excellent technique... especially in a murder mystery.
This book had everything in a good mystery, and more, when considering the fact that the main character was a ghost trying to solve her own murder.
As the book progresses, the storyline thickens and one cant help but be enthralled with it. I dont want to give anything away, but the end revelations are shocking, and you wont believe who the killer is. You wont be dissapointed!
The diolouge and characters are more than extraordinary, and all his books hold you captive and dont let go till the end, but I think there could have been some improvements.
During the novel, I felt little danger for the lives of the characters in "Remember Me", until the last 50 pages... where the story really takes off. Since they were ghosts, it wasnt like they could be harmed again.
Also, I was hoping for some more "spooky" interaction. Shari was a spirit, yet she couldnt do any of the cool things mosts ghosts are mythed to do, like fly, travel through doors and walls, and somehow communicate with the living. It was almost as if we were reading about an ordinary girl.
Although the story bagan a little slower than I'm used to with most Pike novels, I still loved it very much, and would reccommend it to people of all ages.

I've read this book at least 4 times already...and I'm not sick of it at all. I first read it when I was about 14 and now I'm 19 and the book STILL interests me. The character development was good but not GREAT; there were some people who he could've expanded more on, but overall an excellent novel for not only teens, but adults as well.

I read many Christopher Pike books when i was a kid and loved them all. Remember me is one that has stayed in my head forever. I'm finally getting it for my oldest. I know she's going to love it as well!

Shari Cooper is dead. She's a ghost who's trying to figure out who killed her and why. It's a murder mystery, filled with a handful of great characters. No one can see her, but she does have help.

I've been a Christopher Pike fan since I was ~11 yrs. old, and now being 26, I would read it again. Actually, I had lost the book several years back, so I bought it off an online auction recently. I had read this book about 5 times literally. From cover to cover, the story is PERFECTION. I could not put the book down. It keeps you from the edge of your seat, and the characters are so well put together and are unique in their own way. The story is entertaining, yet at the same time, meaningful... profound. You can tell Pike put good work and thought to the character's personalities as well as how they interrelate with each other. Shari Cooper, the main character who is a ghost - has a likeable personality. I liked her as I read along. Other than it being suspenseful, it goes beyond our realm and ties in with science fiction, black holes, space, teleportation... wow-- AND I guarantee it is NOT AT ALL CORNY whatsoever. The book is also rather deep as Pike entails love, sacrifice, mystery, twists, and spirituality. I remember there are a few funny moments and it will make you laugh out loud. I love this book so much!! I swear they can make a movie out of it, and would do very well! Remember me part II and III are not as great - as sequels are sometimes. I thought Remember Me III was just mm.. OK. This is a suspenseful, fun, meaningful, happy, sad, intriguing, deep, funny book. You get everything wrapped into one. You will not be disappointed. From loving it since I was 11, and writing a review about it 15 yrs later really made a lasting impression on me. Go read it, you'll like it.

I read this book fifteen years ago when I was 13 years old. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved it so much that I read it too many times to remember. "Remember Me" was the first Christopher Pike book that I read, and I immediately became hooked on his work. I ended up reading most of his books, and this is the best one.

This is a great book that I would recommend to all for those quite moments just before sleep. This gentle story leads you through an array of animals as they settle down for the night. I find the pictures great and the gentle rhythm of the book a delight. I could not as more of a bedtime story.

I read this book to my daughter many nights from the night she was born until she was old enough for chapter books. She loved the cadence of the rhymes and would repeat them along with me as she got older. Now my oldest step-daughter is having her first baby so this is one of the books we got her - we hope it will be a favorite in her house as well!

I love this book -- it is to soothing for both adults and children. Beautiful pictures and sweet, simple rhymes.

we've been reading this book every night for a very long time, and our daughter still likes it very much. she looks forward to it ...

This gentle rhyming book is the perfect bedtime book. I buy it to give to all my new mother and grandmother friends. The illustrations are beautiful and peaceful. In the book, the animal moms are talking with their babies about it being time for bed. When I close my eyes, I can hear my son reading it to his baby boys. If you want to share the love and joy of books, buy this...the best bedtime book ever!

I got this book for Christmas and i finished it that day. It's a book you just can't put down. It's about Jemima(Jem)Emmerson, who's 15 when the story starts. The war becomes reality when her brother joins the millitia and her mother starts writing letters under a psudonym to a local newspaper asking for supplies for the army. These letters end up making something very bad happen to the family. When her father employs a tutor for her that is a tory she hates him nd treats her very badly. Then Jemima finds a coded message that tells her that John Reid(her tutor)is a spy for Washington then she gets to know him and falls in love with him. Then her younger brother goes away to the army too, and she and her mother are left home and worrying. This is a really good book. I don't really like that Jemima sort of looses the spirit she has at the begining; sassy, fun, and willed. But it's still really good.

Jem is probably my favorite character out of all the Ann Rinaldi books!! She's stubborn and high spirited , I reread this book every chance I get and never tire of it. I don't know which Ann Rinaldi books are my favorite the Revoultionary or the Civil War? But I do know that I Love them all!!!

Romance, tragedy, and life lessons are all wonderfully displayed in this novel, set during the period of the Revolutionary War. TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS, by Ann Rinaldi, is the story of Jem, a rebellious Patriot teenage girl, whose family is torn apart by the war. Her father is persecuted for not selling tea, her mother has a war "secret" of her own, the war beckons both of her brothers, and on top of all that, she clashes with her Tory tutor. Through the ups and downs of her life, Jem learns some important life lessons the hard way but comes out on top, and learns that people are not always what they seem. The reader learns that there is always, "time enough for drums." This novel keeps you wanting to know more and more about Jem and what is going to happen next in her life. It is also an additional bonus, how Ann Rinaldi uses accurate historical events, to base her book upon. If you love to be entertained while you read, than this book is definitely for you!

Romance, tragedy, and life lessons are all wonderfully displayed in this novel, set during the period of the Revolutionary War. TIME ENOUGH FOR DRUMS, by Ann Rinaldi, is the story of Jem, a rebellious Patriot teenage girl, whose family is torn apart by the war. Her father is persecuted for not selling tea, her mother has a war "secret" of her own, the war beckons both of her brothers, and on top of all that, she clashes with her Tory tutor. Through the ups and downs of her life, Jem learns some important life lessons the hard way but comes out on top, and learns that people are not always what they seem. The reader learns that there is always, "time enough for drums." This novel keeps you wanting to know more and more about Jem and what is going to happen next in her life. It is also an additional bonus, how Ann Rinaldi uses accurate historical events, to base her book upon. If you love to be entertained while you read, than this book is definitely for you!

This is the best of all Ann Rinaldis books (I have read all of them). This book has the most interesting characters and a great plot. Everyone will enjoy Jem and her tutor and what happens between them. I have read this book probably 15 times and never get tired of it. The hints of romance and interest to this book. It teaches you about history without making you ever feel like you were in history class.

There are not many books for this age group that the parent gets more out if it than the child.

The Lorax is an great story that is hard for young ones to comprehend the first time through, but still fun to hear. As you read it over and over to them will understand and appreciate it more.

This has many similarities to stories like The Giving tree

Stories like these are inspirations for content I create on the [...] storybooks site.

My 5 and 7 years olds have made this one of their favorites. My 7 year read it himself and is even memorizing parts of it. There are lots of made up words in this one, but my kids seem to like that, too. The story moves fast and every page has something new. It is a blatantly pro-environment story which is still relevant today. If my kids get the point, that's good.

It may be classic Dr. Suess but this book is all about today's world. A shining example of the Dr's finest work and a must have for any child! Ann Clarke, author of People Are So Different! based on tolerance and understanding.

The message in this book about the impact of our actions on the environment is perhaps even more relevant in today's times than it was when it was written. Certainly, it is more urgent. The story and pictures are presented in a way that even the youngest of children can understand the message. The book is a great way to introduce children to the topic of taking responsibility for our actions, to the planet, and to all creatures. This book should be in every child's library and in every school.

I can't count how many times I've read this to my daughter, and she gets something new out of it each and every time. She asks a lot of questions, so the book has become a springboard for teaching her about caring for the earth and for others. Rather than being a "dark" message, as some other reviews have suggested, I think the book ends with a strong message of hope - the hope contained in the last remaining truffula seed. Even the Once-ler has some redemption in the end, learning that it's never too late to take action to right our wrongs.

I loved this book as a child, but I think I enjoy it even more now. While all of Dr. Seuss's stories have good meanings behind them, The Lorax has a very fitting moral for present times. Reading this book helps kids better understand the environmental issues today and what can come from them. Also, this book never gets old. I have probably read it over a hundred times, but I still love it....And who can resist a story that has a brown bar-ba-loot, frisking about in his bar-ba-loot suit?

I was in love with Katia Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov from the moment I first saw them skating together. Their classic routines were perfect enough to win many world championships including a 1988 Olympic gold medal in Calgary Canada.

Romance eventually blossomed and the beautifully matched pair were married in April of 1991. Their daughter, Daria Sergeyevna Grinkova, was born in my favorite Morristown NJ a little over a year later.

Reading Katia's memories of their life and love still brings tears to my eyes.

I recommend this book for its portrait of pure innocence enframed in the magical world of ice skating.

What a wonderful story this was. I love to watch skating and have not missed watching an Olympics since I was a kid. I am familiar with a lot of the skaters mentioned in this book. I thought this story was so touching and full of emotion. Katia considers her life with Sergei almost too perfect. They were so in love and their life together was indeed a fairy tale. I commend Katia for being able to pick herself and go on with her life no matter how difficult after Sergei's unexpected death in 1995. I thought the comparison between Russian and American customs was very interesting. This was an enjoyable and heartwarming read.

I remember watching this pair when they were competing. I wasn't an ice dancing fan, but they were so incredible to watch, I started watching any competition they were in. When Sergei died, I was devastated for Ekaterina. When her book came out, I read it, and cried all the way through. But really, it isn't a sad ending. I find it to be very inspirational to see how Ekaterina faced the worst that could happen, and came out on the other side with a wonderful attitude and will to go on. It is now 12 years later, and this book STILL makes me cry, and still inspires me.

I read this book lastyear in the Hardcover edition and I cried. It is such a moving, loving, tragic, and heartwarming story full of love that a young widow had for her husband and skating partner and the child Daria that they had together. It told of their skating years, marriage, how they met, and came to america along with the tragic death of her young husband Sergei. I couldn't put this book down. A great story that you will love. Well written.

I'm really glad I found this book at a library book sale last year. Though this story is no longer current news, I hadn't forgotten about the tragic death of Sergey Grinkov or watching him perform with his wife Katya in the 1994 Winter Olympics. And even though the world has long since moved onto other headlines and stories of interest in the figure skating world, the love story told in this book is truly timeless. As a Russophile and a historian whose field of expertise is Russian history, it was a double joy to read because of all of the descriptions of Russian culture, the differences between Russian and American customs, and what life was like in the late Soviet period and the early post-Soviet period. (Although I have to say that the transliteration style wasn't completely pleasing to me; for example, I don't think I've ever read any other book where a double O is used in place of the letter U, as in Ligooshina or Katoosha, and I'm still trying to figure out how the nicknames Serioque and Katuuh are supposed to be written in Russian characters.)

Though the book begins and ends sadly, in between there's a lot of happiness and love, making this into a beautiful heartfelt love letter to a wonderful person, skating partner, friend, lover, husband, and father. The love between Katya and Seryozha is so pure and genuine, nothing like the type of superficial and problem-plagued celebrity relationships we're used to hearing about. It even made me a little jealous of their storybook love story! All throughout, Katya is very honest and open, about their relationship, the world of young skaters in the Soviet Union, what goes on behind the scenes at the Olympics, the hectic life on the road of skaters, and how difficult it was to constantly have to leave their daughter Darya behind while they skated. While I'm sure there are some things she chose not to write about, overall a very detailed and honest life and love story emerges. She was so lucky to have this wonderful man, who was so much more than just an athletic partner, for (what was then) half of her life.

Because the love story is so beautiful and like a dream come true, the reader can really feel her deep grief and sorrow expressed at the beginning and end of the book. It's a terrible thing to lose the love of your life, the father of your child, the only person you've ever skated with for the past 13 years, when you're only 24 years old. This beautiful love story isn't diminished for me by knowing that Katya has since moved on with her life and found love again. She had a child with Ilya Kulik six years after Sergey died, and married him a year later; it's not like she jumped into his bed soon after this book was published! (And since Kulik is six years younger, he would have been a bit too young for her then anyway.) When you're widowed at such a young age, you should hardly be expected to be in mourning forever, and it may help the more current reader to not feel quite so sad at the end, knowing that this intense pain and sorrow isn't such an overpowering force in Katya's life anymore. And new husband or not, there's no denying that her first husband, her first love, was indeed the greatest love of her life.