Schools Books

a truly fantastic book!!! ALL of the heartland books leaves me all peaceful @ the end. dont ask y. its just the way lauren rites.
in this book, Mr. baldwin makes an emergency stop @ heartland, and they discover tys dad have transported trucks in an illegal trailer. amy + ty treat the horses, but the ppl who asked mr baldwin 2 transport the horses, still wanna deliver the poor, dehydrated horses 2 an aution house. will mr. baldwin lose his job? will the horses die? u wont no till u read this fantastic book!
carol

I really enjoyed reading A Season of Hope. I could not put the book down. Lauren Brooke is the very best author for horse books. If you like horses YOU MUST READ THEESE BOOKS or you will miss out on something so wonderful that there is no word to describe it. I really wish that there were more than twenty books in the series. A Season of Hope is about a girl named Amy and how she is faced with the horrors of animal cruelty to horses, although she could be dealing with the law Amy tries everything she can to help the horses. Amy is greatly helped by her sister Lou, her boyfriend Ty who is also a stable hand, Amy and Lou's grandpa, Lou's fiancé also the vet Scott, Joni a stable hand, and somehow Ty's father who hated horses but changed his mind after he spent time with them and then he finally understood that Ty belonged to work at Heartland. The phrase healing horses healing hearts means that in every book horses are healed and a person or people learn valuable life lessons. I love the Heartland books so much that for every book in the series I would give them all five stars, even more than that if I could. The Heartland books make me feel that I am inside the book watching it all. It seems as if I am watching television but different. My favorite part in the book would definitely be the ending but... you won't find out the ending unless you read it!

i absolutly love heartland books i wish lauren brooke wrote more than just 20!!! i been reading the series for years now and they never get boring i luv em!!!

This book is one of the best heartland books and i should know. I've read them all. As a surprising twist that takes place the whole book(if you didnt read the back)Ty's dad brings a truckload of horses that were to be sold in an auction house. All the horses were in very bad condition. Three of which died. You'll have to read the book to find out the rest. And you should. This is a really great book!

This book tells a lot about society. It is about horses that either have problems or are being abused. What does that say about people in general? It tells us some people can be cruel. Society does not help horses that have been hurt or abandoned. People should not be allowed to have pets if they dont take care of them. That is where society comes in. People should prove that they are mature or responsible to take care of a pet before they purchase it. People should be able to have pets, as long as they take care of them properly and treat them kindly.
The characters in this story are very similar to the people I know. The main character and I both like animals, expecialy horses. Amy is the main character. She helps abused horses with their problems and fears. She and I both believe that no animal should be tormented. Other characters like Ty and Nacy are like my mom and dad. Ty is like my dad becuase Ty helps around the stables and my dad is like that too. Nancy is like my mom she is kind and supports peoples ideas. My mom is very nice and she will support almost everyone's opinion. So all the characters do resemble friends and family even though they are different people.
There are a couple different themes in this book. One is that you should always treat your pets with respect, no matter how mean they are. Two, is to always support your friends. If they have an idea you should be bringing them up, not pushing them down. Last, but not least is to always help others. This is a very important one because people who need your help may need a friend as well. If you are able to help them out, you should also be able to be their friend and help them later on if they need it. So always help and be a friend to everyone!!

Such a warm and delightful book, and our toddler loves to have it read again and again. Fortunately, it's not a boring book to read out loud and it goes quickly. Text has a great sing-song flow, and it's fun to do the character's voices. Can't explain every reason why I love it, but I give it at lots of baby showers and birthday parties.

A must have.

We bought this book several months ago and have read it nearly every day since. I have 3 & 5 year old girls. They both listen intently to this book even after hearing it 100's of times at this point. This book has such a sweet message. The main character is lovable and relatable. Nothing to complain about! Great illustrations. This is a must have in your child's library. Great gift!

I received this book as a gift from my mom for one of my baby showers. It is one of the best books we have and our son loves hearing it over and over. He often grabs this book off the shelf when it's time to read a story. We've been reading it to him since he was months old and we will never be tired of it. We're glad we know the secret too!

This is now our all-time favorite children's book. My three-year-old son loves this book. He laughs so hard he runs out of breath, and when Sid's dad begins to fly at the end of the book, he is so relieved and absolutely elated. Not only is this an excellent book, but the looks on my son's face are absolutely priceless and one of my happiest memories.

I love everything about this book: the vivid illustrations, the engaging flow of the rhyme, the uplifting, but not preachy, message. Sometimes I long to skip lines or pages in books when reading to my kids, but never in this book.

Have you actually seat down and read a book? What all kinds of books do you like to read daily? Me I like all kinds of books. Such as romantic, mystery, and sad stories. That's all about what I read. But there are lots of interesting stories out there in the world.

There is this one book I read a couple of weeks ago. It was one of my favorite books I have read. Its sad, happy in some parts, has love in the book in a way. Nice and interesting. I think you should read it but first let me tell you about this book. I'm sure you will like it.

This book is by Lurlene McDaniel. She is a good author I think. I have read one of her books before. The book is called one Last Wish Someone Dies, Someone Lives. This is about a young man that writes Katie O' Roark A letter while she is in the hospital. In that letter there was a certified check for one hundred thousand dollars. On that letter it was stamped OLW meaning One Last Wish Foundation. Also it said your friend JWC. She didn't know what to think a guy that gave her money and she had no clue why. She was puzzled for days.

Then in this book a guy name Josh watched his brother on the football field go down cold. Scared to death Josh runs to him takes him to the hospital. No longer they were there. Josh and his grandfather heard the bad news of their brother/grandchild. The doctors came out and asked if they would like to donate his organs. That was the hardest mistake they have ever made in their lives. They said there last good byes, and there was no more of him. But Josh went to meet the girl that his brothers heart was going to Katie O' Roark. Did they become friends? Was he mad? Who had wrote the letter? To find more information on this book. You can check it out at Lincoln County Library.

This book was sad, but happy too, it was a great book and I think you and your friends would enjoy this book. Not just these book but also all of Lurlene McDaniel books. She is a great author.

I believe that some of the books I read as an adolescent have truly shaped my outlook on life as an adult, and few more so than this book. I picked it up by happy accident at a garage sale, and was immediately hooked on this author. Even though I still consider this one to be the best, I also loved all her others. This made me more sympathetic to people with illnesses where before they tended to make me uncomfortable. It also made me realize that I wanted to be an organ donor, and that I needed to tell my family this, in case something happened to me. Though I'd prefer to be using my own organs for a long time, if something happens to me, then it is a very great comfort to me to know that my death could mean life to others. If I have children, I will be sure to encourage my girls (or boys, though they probably wouldn't dig them) to read these books, because I think if more people read these then more people would become organ donors, and in turn more people would live.

Someone Dies, Someone lives, Is a great book it kept me hooked on to each word till the end of the last page. Its weird how a death can make a huge impact on two people. Aaron's death might have been good for both Katie for keeping her alive with his heart and heart breaking for Josh for loosing his only brother who got him as far as he is in life. This book is a type of book that will keep you guessing till the end.

At the beginning of a quartet of books starring Katie, the running champ that steals the pages of this book, Katie is plagued with a fatal heart disease. She won't survive without a heart transplant... and how many people have spare, healthy hearts to pass up? Despite getting a good transplant, Katie is down in the dumps. Will she ever run again? Will she reject the transplant? Then Katie meets Josh... she's more connected to him then meets the eye. Read this book! It's another one of McDaniel's fabulous books.

I've read quite a few books in the One Last Wish series and along with She Died Too Young, this one is my favourite. It is very realistic and with very believable characters. The story just takes you along with it. The main character in this book is Katie who desperatly needs a heart transplant after a virius has severly weakened her heart. It switches between scenes with Katie and Josh, who's brother Aaron dies and ends up being Katie's donor. After her transplant Katie had to fight to become a track runner again. I like the ending of this book because it doesn't all end 'happily ever after' but it's inspiring and uplifting. I recommend this book to anyone.

This is a story about a female Paul Bunyan, set in the frontier of Tennessee. In 1815, Angelica Longrider was born in Tennessee, she was a large baby and that was only the beginning of her mighty deeds. Angelica grew and grew and grew, until she was so big that she could pick up a wagon as if it was a toy. As they were moving through, many settlers had their wagons get bogged down in the mud and Angelica would pick them up and set them on solid ground. They were so grateful that they affectionately named her "Swamp Angel."
While life was hard on the frontier, it was made harder by a giant bear that everyone called "Thundering Tarnation." His skin was so think that bullets could not penetrate it and Tarnation would raid the cellars where the settlers stored their food for the winter. Finally, the people were so frustrated that they posted rewards for anyone who could vanquish Tarnation.
When all the men failed, Swamp Angel encountered Tarnation and they started battling. They fought and fought and fought, knocking down mighty trees and even drinking a large lake dry. Finally, Swamp Angel was able to kill Tarnation and his flesh fed thousands of people for the entire winter. His pelt was so big that Swamp Angel spread it over Montana and it became the shortgrass prairie.
The tall tales in this story will delight children and the use of a female version of Paul Bunyan sweetens the treat. I strongly recommend this book for elementary school reading groups.

My 3 year old loves this book! She enjoys looking at the beautiful illustrations and listening to the great escapades of this strong female character. If you and your family like Paul Bunyan stories - this one is great for women to be.

Swamp angel is about a friendly, strong, giant girl; from the South. The conflict of the story is, Tarnation, a giant gorilla is eating up all the food. So, the mayor decides to have a contest to see which man can kill him. Whoever succeeds, will get to keep the pelt of the giant animal. Everyone who dared to try to kill the beast, failed, until one day the Swamp angel stepped in. This book is extremely funny with wonderful illustrations. I believe this book would be suitable for children under the age of eight. I give this book two thumbs up.

Swamp Angel is a great adventurous folktale, with unbelievable illistrations. And a funny southern accent that all will love. A heart warming tale bout a freindly, super-strong, giant girl; who saves her dear little home from dangers like a tornado. Anne Isaacs did an exceptional job to make this book humorous, exciting, adventurous, and fun-filled for all especialy children. Swamp angel is a considerate, generous, and all around nice person. Yet she's strong, brave, and determined. This story is taken place in Tennesse, down south. The problem is that Thunderin' Tarnation is eating all the food, so the mayor decides to have a contest. The first person to kill Thunerin' Tarnation gets to keep the pelt of the giant beast, saves their intire state's food from being eaten, and dthey will have an abundance of food. Many tried and almost all failed but one Swamp angel. But she still hasn't saw Thunderin' Tarnation yet. Until one day by the lake she spotted Old Tarnation. And that was were the showdown between Old Tarnation and Swamp Angel began. If you're a Paul Bunyun fan, well then this book is for you. I thought this was a fun and exciting book. If you read this book, I can almost garuntee that you will feal the same way. I give Swamp Angel two thumbs up!

WARNING!!This review may contain Spoilers!

This story starts out by telling about the birth of a young girl who is amazingly big for her age. No one knows that she will become a great woodswoman since she cannot climb a tree at birth without help:). As she grows older she saves her town numerous times with her strength earning her the name "Swamp Angel".

When a mean bear comes to town many hunters try to capture it before it causes anymore damage.(One is Swamp Angel) Eventually she does capture the bear, named Tarnation, and kills him. Call me a sucker for a happy,happy ending, but I was hoping Tarnation would give up his evil ways and use his strength for good. And then they could have all lived...well you know what I mean.

In the last couple of years several books have been published focusing on the huge, largely untapped, and unfocused upon, regional/local markets of people in LDC nations. Focusing on the needs, preferences, and wants of the people in these markets pave the way for mutual benefits and stronger symbiotic relationships. Authors Vijay Mahajan and Kimini Banga continue this relevant discourse with "The 86 Percent Solution." Their focus on the 'local and regional' instead of a national market is important for knowledge and understanding. Instead of focusing on national borders, businesspeople are focusing on Shanghai, Mumbai, town X, or city Y, or region Z. Not the "Indian Market, Chinese Market," or "Russian market." The crux likes back to this fact: eighty-six percent of the people on planet Earth earn less than $10,000 USD per year.

Many points in this book are common sense. If you're doing business in an area, then of course you have to learn about local area, and a neighborhood's conditions, wants, and needs. There is focus on marketing here, which seems to mean: dump products down people's throats and profit from it at the same time. (I understand the necessity for mutual benefits.) But at times this book sounds like "How to do business in LDC regions for dummies." To be fair, the information in this book is needed by many that come to foreign countries with very little insight into "how things really work" at the local and cultural level. This includes not only market needs, but how to behave, be culturally sensitive, and understand local, cultural etiquette. I frequently witness first-hand MBA grads and experienced western business people come to a foreign country with immense business, product knowledge, and marketing expertise. And they fall flat on their faces because they didn't have the proper information, training, and exposure to culturally deal with the local people. Oft-times these people didn't consider this knowledge or awareness to be important.

With globalization and increasing WTO-country membership, this book and others will be increasingly important to those doing business overseas and having business relationships with customers, employees, fellow managers, and even strangers. Cultural awareness is often equally just as important as "business knowledge." Sometimes, it's more important.

A note by the authors on English as the International Language:
The authors claim that English may not be the International Business Language in the future. This assertion is completely false and without merit. The authors state that "If you want to work with 86 percent of the world, you need to speak the languages of the 86 percent."

Yes, business people need to learn foreign languages. True, it's important for foreigners to study and attempt to learn the local language of a region if they are going to do business and/or live somewhere for a period of time. It leads to more cultural understanding and less instances of mis-communication. But the demand for English is skyrocketing in China and many other countries of the world. The demand for learning other non-English languages will increase - but the demand to learn and use English will not decrease. It will continue to grow, and much faster than other languages.

The contention that students and future business people from all over the world will learn Mandarin, Arabic, and Hindi because the *number* of people who speak these languages is greater, is oversimplified and unrealistic.

Just ask the Chinese: "Do you want foreigners to learn Mandarin?" Or, is it better for Chinese people to learn English?
The Chinese want to learn English. They also benefit tremendously from foreigners *not* learning Chinese. Ask a Vietnamese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, American, or German if they want to spend over 7+ years studying intensive Mandarin?

Chinese and Arabic speakers who learn English can communicate and do business all over the world in all continents. Mandarin speakers can do business only in certain parts of China. Big difference.
Non-native English speakers currently outnumber native English speaker by 4 to 1, and this gap is increasing.

Kudos to Mahajan and Banga for this book and their work in this field, which is finally getting more attention. Attention that is just, and far over due.

A related point:
The recent Nobel Prize awarded to Mohammed Yunus and his Grameen Bank for his micro-loans provided directly to poor people living in rural areas who are otherwise considered "not bankable." Most banks focus on large public projects and require collateral and credit. These large projects often involve corruption and embezzlement. The percentage of borrowers who repay their loans under Yunus's micro-lending program is very high. It works.

This is an informative and helpful book.

The 86 Percent Solution : How to Succeed in the Biggest Market Opportunity of the Next 50 Years (Hardcover)
by Vijay Mahajan, Kamini Banga
ISBN: 0131489070
The authors provide a very unique look into the biggest market for years to come.
The book The 86 Percent Solution provides rich insights into the emerging markets where per capita incomes of individuals is as low as $300 but still provide tremendous scope for growth.
Developing markets offer the greatest potential for gains unheard of in the developed markets. To venture into these markets companies will have to (un)learn all that worked elsewhere. The things that worked in developed economies and the basic presumptions made will not work in most developing nations of today. The concept of consumer is king is a myth in these places, where in fact a consumer is a person with limited purchasing power, bargaining power and storage capacity.
What works for marketing Fast Moving Consumer Goods won't work for Consumer Durables or for Services. Even though developing markets seem risky as there is little or no credit risk monitoring at the dealer level besides the usual problems of lack of infrastructure there will always be a first mover advantage for companies willing to invest in infrastructure.
Products like water filtration systems for individual homes will find a ready market where potable drinking water is unheard of. In the rural markets even with the sweltering heat it is difficult to sell an air conditioner where uninterrupted power supply is neither available nor expected.
To sell in these markets region specific plans rather then country specific ones will need to be formulated and implemented, due to the fragmented nature of the markets having their own special needs.
Through various example the authors explain all that works and doesn't work and why.
This book is a must read for all those who wish to tap this market and also all those who always wondered why all their wining strategies which worked so well for them for so many years everywhere else, just don't work in these markets.
The coauthor Vijay Mahajan is a former dean of the Indian School of Business and holds the John P. Harbin Centennial Chair in Business at McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin.
The coauthor Kamini Banga is an independent marketing consultant and managing director of Dimensions Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.

With regard to the meaning and significance of the title, Mahajan and Banga explain that 86% of the world has a per capita gross national product (GNP) of less than $10,000 per year. So what? Not only do those markets represent the future of global commerce; "they also present rich opportunities for companies that have the imagination and creativity to envision [consumers within those markets]. But you won't recognize these opportunities through the lens of the developed world. You won't reach these consumers through the market strategies that work in the 14 percent markets. Developing markets have no smooth superhighways, no established consumer markets, no distribution networks, and, in many cases, no electricity. Developing markets are younger, behind in technology (but rapidly catching up), and inexperienced as consumers. These markets are very different. Yet with creative solutions tailored to their distinctive characteristics, ...you can realize the rich opportunities of these 86 percent markets."

Mahajan and Banga have carefully organized their material within eleven chapters which range from a rigorous analysis of "the lands of opportunity" to a "Conclusion" in which they explain why the markets in underdeveloping countries "not to be missed." More specifically, they discuss what they describe as a "complex tapestry" of convergent civilizations in which there really do seem to be almost unlimited opportunities to increase both the standard of living and quality of life for hundreds of millions of consumers. The challenge for those companies which attempt to market various goods and services in those markets is to understand their unique characteristics. To me, it seems at east as important to understand what they are not as it is to understand what they are...or can (and will) become.

Here are two brief excerpts and then a checklist which, I hope, indicate the scope and depth of Mahajan and Banga's analysis.

"There is no Chinese market. There is a market in Shanghai, or in a neighborhood in Shanghai. There is no Indian market. There is a market in Mumbai or Chennai, or in their local neighborhoods. Developing countries are a collection of fragmented local markets in a country that is gathered loosely under a single flag." (Page 77)

"Think English is the language to know for business? Maybe not for long. Consider that Mandarin Chinese has the largest number of speakers in the world -- a billion, including second-language speakers. This is followed by English, with about half as many speakers, and then Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali, and Russian. If you want to work with 86 percent of the world, you need to speak the languages of the 86 percent." (page 83)

Which strategies will be most effective when "taking the market to the people"? Mahajan and Banga suggest seven:

1. Position for the paanwalla (i.e. small shop)

2. Create multiple levels of distribution (e.g. Hindustan Lever's "Project Shakti" based a direct-to-home model involving self-help groups, each comprised of 10-15 underprivileged women)

3. Use distribution bubbles (i.e. carnivals, market days, and vans which come and go) to find customers where they are

4. Take the bank out of the branch (e.g. Citibank's use of vans and a network of 9,000 direct-selling agents, called "Citi Friends," who visit homes)

5. Develop on-the-ground insights (i.e. understand and adapt to local aND even neighborhood regulations and conditions)

6. Create distribution systems from scratch (e.g. a new distribution system, based on grassroots networks, which built a supply chain for a camel's milk dairy in Mauritania)

7. Use existing networks creatively (e.g. the "dabbawala system" in Mumbai, India, probably the world's most efficient lunch delivery system which collects 175,000 home-cooked meals from workers' homes and delivers them to their offices)

Thoughtfully, Mahajan and Banga provide a section at the end of each of the first ten chapters, "The 86 Percent Solution," which summarizes key points and facilitates subsequent review of them. Before concluding their brilliant book, Mahajan and Banga share these thoughts when explaining why numbers are on the side of the developing world: Population Equals Profits. "The transformation is just beginning. There will be hiccups along the way and further surprises over the next two decades as the next `Chinas' and `Indias' emerge. The only certainty is the the 86 percent markets are here to stay. These markets are young and growing. Even though they won't become developed tomorrow,,, they are the future. And the companies that can develop the right solutions to meet their needs will find a rich source of growth."

Who will derive the greatest benefit from Mahajan and Banga's book? In my opinion, they are decision makers in two different categories of companies: Those which now market or are about to market in underdeveloping countries, and, other companies which now do business with -- or plan to do business with -- those in the first category. I also think this book will be of substantial interest and value to public officials who are now actively involved with helping to support global commerce.

Congratulations to Mahajan and Banga on a brilliant achievement!

This book is best appreciated if you have first read C.K. Prahalad's "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid," William Grieder's "The Soul of Capitalism," and Stuart Hart's "Capitalism at the Crossroads." It is a tactical or foreign neighborhood (both in the Third World and in the immigrant sections of the First World) implementation manual for profiting from sales to the poor.

It makes many obvious points as well as many not so obvious points, and I will not list them here. This is a book that requires patience and careful reading. The author has brought forward a great deal of detail in a very easy to read way.

I will end with thought that the Wharton School's publishing arm has really catalyzed for me with these varied book. The five billion at the bottom of the pyramid are the last remaining super-power on this planet. The good news is that we can profit from enriching them. The bad news is that we still have morons in power that think we can keep them down by using guns. Newsflash: there are not enough guns on the planet to keep the five billion and their off-spring from over-running us. Capitalism, and the rapid nurturing of indigenous self-sustaining wealth that includes the rapid education of women (which leads to saner men, less disease, limited growth) is our only salvation.

This book is one of a handful that could be said to be truly revolutionary in terms of transforming the planet from one beset by poverty, to one inspired by entrepreneurship at the neighborhood level.

Business is obviously always on the lookout for growth opportunities. In the book The 86% Solution - How To Succeed In the Biggest Market Opportunity of the 21st Century by Vijay Mahajan and Kamini Banga, the argument is made (and quite effectively) that the largest new markets are in the developing countries... 86% of the world. However, the rules are significantly different in those markets...

Contents: The Lands of Opportunity; Don't Build a Car When You Need a Bullock Cart; Aim for the Ricochet Economy; Connect Brands to the Market; Think Young; Grow Big by Thinking Small; Bring Your Own Infrastructure; Look for the Leapfrog; Take the Market to the People; Develop with the Market; An Opportunity Not to Be Missed; Index

Many companies that have tried to move into these developing countries did so by following the same rules that worked in the richest 14% of the world. They more often than not failed miserably. The economies are different, the purchasing power is different, and the market plays by different rules based on culture. The authors do an excellent job in showing how a different approach to these markets are necessary in order to succeed. For instance, in "Grow Big by Thinking Small", they explain that developing country consumers are using to buying what they need when they need it, and only the amount they immediately need. They often don't have either the space to store bulk quantities nor the extra income to stockpile. Trying to sell laundry detergent for 100 loads will fail. Selling enough soap for one load for a few pennies will work. The margins are thin, but the volume is huge. Your company needs to figure out how to make it all work. In "Take the Market to the People", you'll learn that the concept of going to the nearest Wal-Mart is completely unknown. Your "store" may be a stall at a weekly market bazaar or a person cycling your wares from village to village. You better understand that and package/price accordingly. And what do you do when you're marketing electrical items in a country where power is normally unavailable for hours each day? That's your new reality...

For any business or entrepreneur looking to tap into the vastly underserved global markets, this book is required reading. Even if you're just moderately interested in business and markets, the information here is fascinating. What we consider normal, really isn't...

This is a great resource for anyone who teaches math to elementary or middle school students. It is full of useful information and ideas for lessons.

I received the text book in a reasonable amount of time. The information in this book is extrememly helpful for those who are in the teaching field, or even for those who have children and want to help with math homework.

This is a timeless treasure of mathematical understandings generated by Marilyn Burns and her associates. These activities, coupled with hands-on training for teachers, can make a tremendous difference in the mathematical understanding of elementary and early middle school teachers. Most important in this edition are the addition of Burns' revised thinking on Teaching Arithmetic (part 3), and her compilation of discussions for 40 activities (part 4). These two additions have rounded this meaningful math resource into a powerful tool for on-going staff development.

I haven't finished reading this entire valuable resource, but it has a great conceptual framework followed by creative ideas. I teach 7th Grade Mathematics overseas where my students have not had a great basis in analytical thinking and I look forward to using these ideas with my classes this year.

I love this book! It is a great resource with ideas for getting kids interested in math and what questions teachers should ask themselves as they teach. It also points out common mistakes students make and their thought processes for getting there. It is divided into sections by mathematical topics and also has dozens of lesson plan ideas, both for full lessons and those quick time-fillers. This is the most reader-friendly textbook I've ever had to read for a class--it's so easy to read!

I read his books as a teen and loved them. Bought the whole set for my grandsons, [teens]. They laughed until they cried. [so did I].

If you like animals you will enjoy all James Herriot's books. This is one of a series of delightful books. Reading one will make you want to read the next one. I can read them over and over.

I have the complete series of All Creatures Great and Small books now. This was the last one and I loved it as much as I loved the others. He was a fantastic writer and having been born and raised on a farm I can appreciate a lot of what he talks about. I also have his cat and dog stories books and loved them just as much.

The books arrived so quickly that I got to take my time
wrapping the books.

The third book in the series and you know exactly what to expect. Yes, folks, it is every bit as entertaining as the first two, and that's probably all you need to know. But I'll go ahead and mention that he spends some time in the RAF during World War II, which we knew he would as the second book ended. I'll also mention that he and Helen have a baby, which you probably expected. One of the great joys of his writing is discovery, so I'd hate to screw that up with a spoiler, but these two tidbits are on the back cover anyway. Oh, and halfway through it, I predicted an ending in advance, and I only had to read 1000 pages by this guy before that happened. It's still great, great stuff, and you know you'll love it.

This is an excellent book detailing Bill Peet's life from a small town in Indiana to becoming an award-winning children's book writer/illustrator.

I am a children's librarian and I am often perusing our collection for items that look interesting. I recently discovered an extremely old copy of "Capyboppy" by Bill Peet and absolutely loved it! As a result, I decided to look for other titles and realized we had his illustrated autobiography. His drawings are heartfelt and comforting and his (seemingly) effortless talent is stunning. His description of various parts of his life are engaging and I believe that children and adults will enjoy the book equally. I can't recommend this book enough.

Bill Pete started out as a daydreaming, doodling boy, and made it all the way to Walt Disney! Bill was born in Grandview and was raised in Indianapolis. He lived happily with his Mother, two brothers, and grandmother. His father was a traveling salesman, and didn't really come into his life until later. Ever since Bill was young, he loved to draw. During class, he would doodle in between the margins, and his books were a big favorite amongst the other kids when he sold them as second-hand. His childhood was fun filled, and he had some big hopes and dreams. First of all, he wanted to go on a safari and sketch the animals, but most of all, he wanted to be an artist. One day, in the summer of 1928, Bill's father returned "home" broke, travel weary, and demanding money. After arguing for many days, Bills mother gave in and paid his father. With that, his father drove away. Not long after that, Bill's grandmother tragically died, which put the family in complete shambles. They had to move, and everything changed. The Great Depression started, and Bills father kept taking money, so he kept them poor. Bill went through school well as a student, graduated, and went to college. That was when the work became harder. Bill was facing flunking some of his classes. One night, he ran into an old friend from school, and was persuaded to start taking some arts classes. Bill began painting, and it is there that he met his beautiful wife Margaret Brunst with which he eventually had two sons. He graduated with flying colors, and took a job as a painter. Finally, he realized he didn't have a steady income, and applied for Walt Disney Productions. He became a good friend of Walt Disney himself! Bill helped create many classics starting with Snow White, and going all the way to Jungle book. As time went by, Bill decided that after 27 years, it was time to leave. Bill had become attached to the company and his job, but mostly Walt. It was hard to say "good bye." About one year later, Walt Disney died. Bill went on to writing stories and illustrating them for children of all ages. They all relate to him in one way or another, but the one that felt the most connected to him was "Chester the Worldly Pig". Chester was who he was, and he had always been so. And like Chester, Pete "had grown beyond his expectations."

I can see myself in Pete sometimes. He never gave up and kept dreaming and kept his spirit alive. He has an easy flow to his writing that makes you feel relaxed and know that you're in for one heck of a good story. I loved his book for the truth that it told, and for the wonder that makes up Bill Pete. Keep dreaming, if you strive, you can reach the stars and soar beyond.

The book that introduced me to Bill Peet as a child and helped in inspiring me to push my art and chase my dreams. A must have for any lover of original Disney art or aspiring artist.

I nevertheless found it quite fascinating and engrossing.

Peet is a self-professed reluctant student, especially of English classes, but he is nonetheless quite the good writer. Peet's illustrations add a lot to the pace and feel of the book and are a joy in their own right. His stories of life in Indianapolis before World War II will be interesting to any native Hoosier (as am I).

However, the most interesting part details his jobs at Walt Disney studios. His descriptions of how they made movies in the old days as well as the insider's look at Walt Disney himself are fascinating. Peet worked on several Disney movies, including Pinnochio, Fantasia, Cinderella (he created the lovable mice) and the original 101 Dalmations.

Peet brushes over his life after he left Disney a little too quickly. I would have liked to have read his descriptions of life in the publishing world as well. Also lacking is much history of his family life.

That being said, it was still fascinating, entertaining and totally worth the reader's time.

I give this one a grade of A-

Lauren is a lucky girl, mostly because of her perfect boyfriend Dave. He's a star football and baseball player and incredibly gorgeous, not to mention extremely smart, loyal, and nice. Her grades are fine and she's got a great friend Katie, but she doesn't realize that she's missing out on anything until Evan Kirkland shows up. Lauren is almost an entirely different person with Evan, because she doesn't pretend anything with him. But even as a passionate relationship with Evan develops, Lauren can't bring herself to break up with her perfect boyfriend Dave. She's torn between her two personalities: the one that accepts her life with Dave as perfect even though it's boring or the more wild and honest side that Evan brings out.

Bloom was a very romantic and sexy story. However although I loved the story, I didn't always love Lauren. She was just so frustrating sometimes, especially when she couldn't make up her mind between which guy she wanted. I have to forgive her though, because she's really only human (even if she is fictional). The setting of high school was not particularly unique, but I felt that the story worked well in it. Also, I liked how the story stayed pretty focused on Lauren's problems instead of meandering onto Katie's or Dave's problems. However, by touching on these other character's problems, I was left with many unanswered problems regarding them and I wished there were more of these characters in the story. Nevertheless, I felt that Bloom was a very honest and definitely romantic story that I'd reread if I had time.

I have to say though that I preferred Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott to her first novel, Bloom because it was just more unique, but I still did enjoy reading Bloom. I recommend this novel for fans of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Wake by Lisa McMann, and When It Happens by Susane Colasanti.

I absolutely love this book! It's cute, funny, and shows that change can be scary. I loved the characters. It was all very believable. Every teen romance fan must read Bloom!

This novel is great in the realistic and honest narrative of Lauren who isn't beautiful or perfect no matter what people see.

Iread this book in 3 hours, it was so good! i never wanted to put it down, it had the best story to it. now im trying to find more books like thiss!

Imagine that your boyfriend is popular, drop dead gorgeous, crazy about you, athletic and wanted by every girl in high school. This is the relationship that Lauren has with Dave. Seems like she should be happy, right? Wrong. She's not. She's in the "perfect" relationship (so everyone thinks), but yet she feels so far from perfect and certainly not happy. In fact, she feels like a fake.

World History is the class she wants to get out of, however it's also where her story finally begins. As a new semester starts, Lauren dreads her World History class. It starts to get interesting when the teacher assigns seating in alphabetical order. Across from her is Evan Kirkland. The son of her father's former live-in boyfriend; a relationship that ended very badly.

As Lauren's feelings grow for Evan, she realizes everything she is missing with her boyfriend Dave. She struggles with keeping up appearances, lying to her best friend, Katie, and understanding these new feelings that Evan has stirred up. Lauren's mom left the family when she was young and her father has been in and out of numerous relationships. Now, he's hardly a presence in Lauren's life. This is also an impact on the triangle of Lauren/Dave/Evan.

Overall, I liked this book. Katie and Dave were good supporting characters, however I wanted to know more about their lives. Bloom is a good story about young love, trying to fit in struggling with doing what is expected of you, and discovering who you really are.

This book touched my heart, to actually realize how one woman could bome so close to animals that we look at and call beasts. The compassion that one woman had is enough to change they way you may think about how we live. And once you read this book, dont forget that it is a true story. After seeing what Joyce had done wither her love for animals, any dream can come true.

Born Free
Joy Adamson
1960
ISBN: 0-375-71438-3
196 pages

When Elsa's natural instincts soften, reality becomes harder and harder to face.
After a young lioness has been raised and transformed from fierce predator to loving house
cat by her owner Joy, the thought of releasing Elsa into the wild seems to be the greatest
challenge the two have had to face.
Born Free is a true story about a woman ,Joy, and a lioness ,Elsa. Joy's husband
was a game warden in Africa, so the two went on many safaris together. During one of these
safaris, they find three orphaned lion cubs and decide to raise and take care of them during
their cub life. The day finally arrives when the cubs are to be shipped to a European zoo,
and Joy just cannot part with the smallest cub, Elsa. Elsa stays with the two of them and
becomes part of the family for many months. Between all of the fun and
suspense, the truth of the matter finally reveals itself. Elsa, though removed of all the natural
instincts she needs to survive, must soon be permanently released into the wild.
Filled with laughter and excitement, Born Free is a terrific bittersweet adventure,
giving people the ability to learn about a miraculous breakthrough in human and animal
interaction. This book is a timeless classic that you can read again
and again.
By: Amy Schmidt

Animals have always been a favorite topic of mine, but as a young person who just happened to find a copy of this book some 39 years ago, with the cover torn off, I consider it one of the great discoveries of my life. It was summertime, and I was headed to the 7th grade. I wasn't much of a reader until that momentous day. The story of Elsa and the Adamsons totally transported me to another place, and many wondrous adventures in Africa. Due much to this book, I now am a voracious reader. The story is heartwarming, and is the reason I insisted my 7th grade son read it for his current book report.

Whether you're 9 or 99, Elsa's antics and her loving bond with Joy and George will capture your heart. I guarantee it. And with Africa's Lion population dwindling to probably less than 30,000 today, I can't think of a more timely book, in honour of conserving their remaining habitat. Especially when one considers that Africa had over 100,000 Lions when I first read it.

This book is one of my favorites. This book tells you the story of a bond between a hunan and a lioness. This is a great book because it shows you a different side of wild animals and the way they live. When you read it, you will get the excitement as if you are along on the safari with them!

My first introduction to the Born Free books when I was a child learning to read in school. And what a great introduction to reading it was. The story of Elsa and the Adamsons who saved her life as a cub along with her sisters and raised her brought me into a world of wanting to be there with all the animals and see Africa. This seemed to be treated more as a children's book in my time than an adult book. The idea of the book was to teach people the importance of environmental conservation awareness. The first book, tells Elsa's early life from a cub raised by Joy and George Adamson and their pet rock hyrax, Pati. Joy is Elsa's surrogate mom and with great pains to teach Elsa the skills to survive in the wild. With lots of work Joy did it with success that Elsa was capable of living in the wild again. They released her near her birthplace and hoping Elsa would find and connect with her pride-in which she did. There is the tragedy not long afterward I had read this amazing story that Elsa had died in the Kenya bush of disease. Something of life that I learned early in my life that it was reality in the wilds of Africa or anywhere for that matter. But the cycle of life lives on in Elsa's pride. Still another grim incident ended the lives of Joy and George Adamson. Both were found murdered.

Joy Adamson has left behind a legacy of these fascinating books that moves us to treat our world with respect and have a better understanding between human-animal relationship. Joy Adamson before her death had also written, 'Living Free: Elsa and her Cubs' and 'Forever Free: Elsa's Pride.' Her family extended even further across the grasslands of Africa as she tells about them in her other books, 'The Spotted Sphinx' (about Pippa the Cheetah), 'Pippa's Challenge,' 'Pippa: The Cheetah and her Cubs,' 'Queen of Shaba: The Story of an African Leopard,' and 'Friends of the Forest.' Joy Adamson's book 'Peoples of Kenya' reflects upon the life of the Kenyan people, her concern for the people welfare there and their struggles to make an existence in a harsh, beautiful land. If you want to know more about Joy Adamson read her autobiography, 'The Searching Spirit.'