Education Books

I've done a fair amount of French cooking in my time and even owned a four-star rated restaurant for a # of years. I can say with confidence that if you knew nothing of French cooking but followed the recipes in this little book you could turn yourself into a competent chef in no time!

This book should be a staple in every discerning cooks kitchen. Ten minutes or not, in the era of Rachel Ray (and I think she is lovely by the way) its nice to have a little class and soul in a "quick fix" cookbook.
Dr. de Pomiane is funny, insightful, and guiding. He not only gives you wonderful recipes to work with, he takes you by the hand and tells you just how to achieve the perfection you deserve and still have time to dwaddle over your coffee.

This is one of my favorites among the cookbooks I own. I love to cook, although I hate recipes. Edourad de Pomiane's approach is perfect. His writing is funny and encouraging, and he teaches you to cook rather than simply giving instructions to copy a specific recipe. His recipes are exquisitely simple yet profoundly delicious. This one book changed the way I cooked steak, gave me confidence to try sauces for the first time, and taught me the key to making perfect omelets. Buy it. You won't regret it!

Okay, so I'm probably not your kind of cook. I'm the geeky sort of guy who thinks Julia Child is a reasonable substitute for divinity, who worships the ground Chris Kimball walks on in a "Brocktoon" sort of way, who considers superstars like you and Emeril the people the Food Network employs to keep the lights on for Alton Brown. But you know, even if I'm not exactly a fan, that doesn't mean I don't respect what you do. So I have to say right now, if you've never heard of this minute masterpiece from 1930, read it, reread it, incorporate some of his stuff into your own recipes, and then lay a wreath on Pomiane's grave next time you and John are in France to shoot an episode of Tasty Travels, because this guy is your granddaddy just as much as the nice Sicilian fellow you're always talking about on the show.

I mean, look at this guy. He hits practically every French classic that can be done in ten minutes and he's got you beat on organizational technique (first thing you do when you get in the door and want to cook Pomiane-style: boil a pot of water. Doesn't matter why, you'll find a use for it.). The recipes are simple and tasty, and would do Julia, Simca and Louisette quite proud. He even provides menus to plan from, because life is more than meat and two veg. He hits a few of the classic sauces (though his "white sauce" recipe is written as a joke), features a good-sized section on vegetables, and provides a surprisingly diverse selection of meat dishes ranging from a simple steak to some surprisingly complex veal and pork dishes.

There is a sizeable and varied selection of soups (none of those annoying "stoups", fer chrissake) and some remarkably fast desserts, including a chestnut puree that the author was very proud of. A decent but concise section covers cooking techniques suitable for quick cooking, and the whole thing is topped off by a nicely informative preface by the translators describing how to handle Pomiane's recipes in a kitchen three-quarters of a century in his future. And did I mention this guy had a hell of a sense of humor, even in translation? Seriously, take a hint. Not one catch phrase anywhere, and he's still a hoot to read.

Rach, here's the deal. You're the reigning queen of convenience cooking and a kitchen superstar. Controversial, yes, but few have the luxury of near-universal love like Julia, and at the very least you've got it all over that bimbo Sandra. But you gotta give this guy props -- after all, like I said, he's your granddaddy.

Signed,
Brian from the Cape

This is the perfect book for a beginner! It teaches you very basic techniques on cooking that everyone should know, such as how to make a sauce from burnt on meat juices. Its recipes also build on previous ones which makes memorization easier. What I loved most were the lessons on organization that will enable you to cook more efficiently.

In all, this is a great book to start anyone off as a cook. I made a sauce the other day by following the book's guidelines, rather than following a strict recipe and it turned out pretty good. The advice is great in that it gives you room to experiment without destroying your meal. In all, this is a great book to start anyone off as a cook. It's excellent!

One of the few books on its topic, "A Land We Can Share" provides a meaningful plan for teaching and assessing reading and writing skills for students with Autism. It is an excellent resource, sharing relevant information through personal stories, strategy descriptions, visuals, and graphic organizers. Individuals with a thorough knowledge of Autism with limited time (which is almost every teacher!) could probably skip the first chapter, "What is Autism?". This is particularly true if you have read other books by Paula Kluth, as the information about Autism in similar. However, if you have the time, the entire book is worth reading, and is an excellent source of information and resources.

Overall, "A Land We Can Share" is a much needed and essential guide for any teacher of students on the spectrum. Meaningful literacy experiences are possible for all students!

Nicole Caldwell, M.Ed., Editor of the Autism newsletter, Positively Autism

A wonderful resourse for all that work with children. As a teacher I plan to share this resource with all. Especially with my paraprofessionals so they can explore and apply the strategies to the daily routine. Great resource for all in education or child care.

This book is chock-full of helpful tips on differentiated instruction that will work with not just students with autism, but ALL students. Paula has written yet another masterpiece for all those who work with autism.

I highly recommend anything that Dr. Kluth has written. You will not be disappointed by her common sense thinking and practical tips for teaching.

What a wonderful resource! I was inspired to try some new things in my classroom. All were successful and motivating for my students. I teach early childhood special education and it is always a struggle to keep my expectations high, yet attainable... I LOVE the premise "presume competence" that Paula and Kelly use throughout their work. That statement was a "nudge" to remind me that my students can always do more. I know that as long as I encourage them and offer them the necessary tools, they will succeed. I began using some of my augmentative communication devices (for the students that required more assistance) with some of my stories. WOW!!! Talk about interest level increasing! My students focused on the stories at hand AND all wanted to use the devices to `help' read the stories. THANKS for the great ideas!

A Land we can Share is directed primarily at educators and para professionals working with children with ASD to welcome then into the world of literacy.

My perspective is somewhat different. I am a parent of a 7 year old girl with ASD. We are currently in the throes of teaching our daughter to read (in collaboration with her teachers and therapists at school, of course). Whereas with my older children, the process of teaching them to read happened almost intuitively and naturally (on our part as parents), for our youngest the process has involved more effort. We have had to try more things, read more literature, consider different approaches, test more software programs and reader packages.

And much as parents really just want a simple solution, the instructional rigour of Paula's book is at once insightful, engaging and inspiring. It resonated with us, in that it delved in a practical and useful way into different literacy approaches, and provided examples and suggestions that we find useful, and that can be passed on to classroom teachers and reading assistants. But even more significant than its practical applications were the themes of approach and attitude that permeate the pages. Those messages are the catch cries of so many parents with children on the spectrum. We tell teachers, administrators, friends, onlookers - try different things; children are all different; just because something works for most kids doesn't mean there won't be a different approach that will help the rest of the kids, put aside judgment; practice real inclusion.

I would highly recommend this book (as well as Paula's other books) for parents. Read it. Practice it with your children. Pass it on to teachers and school administrators.

Jane Vella, in her work Learning to Listen Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults, presents 10 issues for effective teaching. Due to the brevity of this critical review, in order to provide depth of content three issues are addressed: needs assessment, safety, and sound relationships.

Needs Assessment

With needs assessment, Vella states regarding her philosophy, "They [learners] will vote with their feet if the course does not meet their needs. They will simply walk out. As a teacher, I need to discover what they already know and what they think they need or want to know...when adult learners are bored or indifferent, it means their themes have been neglected in the design of the course" (p. 6).

In response to the philosophy of Vella's needs assessment, first she makes very good points in that professors can often neglect to present relevant content students are interested in, and her procedure of contacting learners prior to the first session of a course, to investigate the learning objectives of students, is a good one--and one that could improve course design.

The problem with Vella's model is that it assumes learners (or potential learners) always know what it is they most want to know, or need to know. This simply is not the case. It is very possible there are areas of knowledge the teacher is aware of--that students would want to learn--but do not even know exist (this is especially probable when the teacher is an expert in the content area to be taught).
For example, in one doctoral level course in pedagogy, students were asked what they wished to learn over the course's term. Consequently, students volunteered their suggestions for content, such that they believe would be most helpful in their teaching professions. However, throughout the course the professor offhand mentioned a pedagogy related discipline of "instructional design" which dealt in course design, and which turned out to be significantly more helpful for students than the agenda they has chosen to set for the course. Being that the course was nearing its end, there was no time to investigate this topic--subject matter the professor would have taught initially if the students "knew" that is what they wanted to know, and suggested it.

Another problem with Vella's process of needs assessment is that she assumes that if information is helpful for students, they are always going to be passionate about the information. This is too is inaccurate. For example, doctoral students preparing to write a dissertation on a topic that interests them must be taught significant amounts of content in statistics to achieve their research goals, though the topic of statistic may be the epitome of tediousness for the students.

Further, though it may be true that students will "vote with their feet" or walk out on a course if it does not meet the needs of the students, Vella misidentifies needs as student enjoyment with course content. Though there is sometimes room in education for a professor to tailor course material to the likings of students, this is not always so for--to site one example--academic programs have required courses that are uninteresting but provide a necessary background to equip learners to understand what they need later: a dry intro to psychology course, or a course on psychotherapy theory (which may be uninteresting to students), provides a necessary backdrop before students can be taught more interesting "hands-on" counseling techniques in a later course. Likewise, Vella neglects the idea that for the accreditation of academic programs learners may need to learn subject matter that does not interest them, in order to obtain a degree. English majors need to take collegiate math and a foreign language to earn a Bachelors degree, for example.

Safety

Vella considers safety as an important characteristic for creating an effective learning environment. Though this may or may not be true, it is interesting what Vella perceives to be synonymous with the concept of "safety." For example, at one point it is written "the design of learning tasks, the atmosphere in the room, and the very design of small groups and materials convey to the adult learners that this experience will work for them. The context is safe." Present here is a convolution, for the issues of whether the materials and content of the course will "work for" the learners has nothing to do with safety.

Vella continues on to state a learner's confidence in his/her instructor's knowledge and competence helps the learner to feel safe, stating that students must feel "safe and confident in their teacher" (p. 9).. However, I cannot see why this is necessarily true. First, a teacher's competency does not seem to be a "safety" issue: If the learner is in some situation where a teacher's incompetence could cause him/her grave harm, then perhaps (I would feel safer with an experienced skydiving instructor, for example). However, as for a history professor, whether the professor is knowledgeable or not, such does not affect my perception of "safety." Confidence in one's teacher is not a safety issue. In fact, a teacher that knows a great deal about a subject matter could make one feel less safe, for a learners may have the stress that he/she must master the knowledge course content much faster to keep up with the teacher's ideas.

Vella continues, stating "trust in the feasibility and relevance of the objectives makes learners feel safe" (p. 9). This too is unrelated to real safety.

In an extreme declaration, Vella at one point declares that the size of groups and the size of a table that promotes the most safety, stating "four learners at a table large enough for their materials, small enough for them to feel included, provides psychical and social safety for learners" (p. 9). With this Vella presents no research to back up this strange claim, and does not address issues of gender, race, or culture which would dramatically alter students' feelings of "safety" in close confinement with one another.

In other criteria, Vella states that trust in the sequence of activities promotes safety and as well as does starting with easier tasks and progressively making them more challenging. Though this may be true, it facilitates the question: "why is safety the best approach for learning?" for example, if one knows the sequence of activities, that student may feel safe to only learn part of the material for the course--for the person knows what knowledge is required to successfully complete the course, and what material the student is able to neglect. Students, even "good" students, are not always as motivated to learn as Vella assumes and having a class set up in a way where students do not know when they will be tested, or do not know what part of the course material they will be required to have mastery of, could promote additional learning through a students sense of vulnerability: the student knowing he/she may be asked to provide insight on any of the course material at any time. This is present in the Socratic method of teaching, and often part of law school education, which has been time-tested to be an effective educational system. Fear is a great motivator.

Sound Relationships

In addressing sound relationships, Vella speaks about welcoming the "death" of the teacher. With this, Vella sees the student and the teacher as mutual learners, as close friends, and sees a need for the "teacher" to often display negative assertion, which means the teacher will allow the student to learn without the teacher's interruption or input. Further, Vella states teachers should be available to the students outside of class: by phone, email, etc. Lastly, Vella states that a teacher must provide emotional support and must encourage learners at all times. In this same sentiment Vella states a teacher must never judge a student, even when the student is perceivable wrong.

In review of these ideas, I believe the concept of the teacher being an equal to his/her learner is fallacious, for I cannot believe that the teachers and students are to learn equal amounts from each other. Granted, teachers should learn from their students' experiences and insights--and I truly believe one can learn something from anyone--however, the suggestion that the exchange of information be "equal" seems unfounded.

In addition, the idea of negative capability, where the teacher (present in class) will sit in a corner and let students to teach themselves, available to students only when they have a question, seems problematic. Though this may be effective at times when students have been given a great deal of information and need to reflect on it, or partake in some sort of praxis, Vella should make more of an effort to note that teacher absence is usually not the ideal situation for learning. It is a logically flawed theory that teachers can learn from their students' active behaviors (participation), and students learn most from teachers' passive behaviors (lack of participation).

In review of Vella's position that teachers must be available to learners outside of class, thought this may be a beneficial process--and I believe it is, for it gives students the ability to ask questions or receive clarification when the need arises--Vella does not attempt to provide any guidelines for limitations of student interaction with the professor. I believe this lack of boundaries does not provide suitable respect for the teacher's schedule, personal life, or time. Teachers should be able to have a life "outside" of their teaching responsibilities, though Vella denies attention to this idea.

Vella states that teachers should provide emotional support to their learners, making teachers both the provider of information, and the learners' personal counselor. Though this may be effective to some degree, it is not necessary. Learners are responsible for obtaining social and emotional support outside of their educational endeavors. In addition, the counselor-teacher relationship is conceivably not a healthy one--due to the dual roles--and it is one that is discouraged in many counseling codes of ethics.

Lastly, Vella states in her book that her students are strong enough to know what they want to study, and what works for them. It is an interesting duality (almost a paradox) that Vella sees her learners as so weak in that they need constant encouragement in their academic pursuits (which are supposed to be intrinsically helpful and useful to them). In addition, I completely disagree with the concept of never passing judgment, and believe the idea that Vella never passes judgment to be dangerous, if not blatantly untrue. When students are graded, they are being judged. Also, some dangerous ideas presented by students need to be at least challenged, if not judged.

Discussion

The following document was a reaction and critical review of the text, Learning to Listen Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults, by Jane Vella. It was found that Vella's interpretation and integration regarding the issues of needs assessment, safety, and sound relationships, though helpful in some instances, possess some logical inconsistencies and pragmatic difficulties when integrated into some teaching situations.

Final Note: Telephone and Online Counseling may be a good way to help struggling teachers and students. To learn how to provide telephone and online counseling, try this excellent book: The Therapist's Clinical Guide to Online Counseling and Telephone Counseling: The Definitive Training Guide for Clinical Practice

Learning to listen, learning to teach : the power of dialogue in educating adults gave me the tools I needed to teach wine classes to adult learners. This book provides so much inspiration in teaching fundamentals for adult education. Vella takes readers across the world to demonstrate her essential components for effectively teaching adults. Highly, highly recommended. Buy this book for your favorite adult-level educator, literacy volunteer, and especially for a student in teacher college!

This is an excellent text for today's teachers. It helps the teacher move from the monologue style (lecture style) of teaching into a more improved style of teaching (the dialogue style). It shows how to get the students more involved in the class and how the students will be able to retain what the teacher is presenting over the lecture style. Students retain more when they take part in the teaching process. I highly suggest this text for those who want a more interesting class.

Jane Vella's, Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults challenged me to intentionally adopt several principles in my ministry to university students. I'm convinced these principles are useful for church ministries as well. That is why I recommend this book to you.

Jane Vella educates adults in many cultures and for many different groups, mostly community development projects. I'm very familiar with this kind of work and many of the places and people she writes about. One of the goals I have set for the summer teams of student interns serving in community development projects is for the students to have the best learning experience of their lives. Vella refers to this learning as the `quantum' concept, that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
I need to encourage my staff to participate in the process of writing their own job descriptions. I need to be more effective at listening and giving open questions, especially in the teachings I give. Those open questions need to be put to the `safe' environment of small groups. I have practiced this sort of thing at some level, but I see I need to be more intentional. For example, I have asked the question, "What was your best learning experience?" Sometimes, but not always, I send the participants to small group to discuss the question. I need to be more effective at defining learning tasks and follow through on them so that the participants truly participate in the learning process.

1. How can I adopt principles of Vella's dialogue education and quantum thinking?

Vella's key assessment principle, `Who needs What and defined by Whom' or `WWW', is what we will adopt in all of our student ministry programs. To do that, I need to keep a journal. As I pray for individuals in my team and network around the world, I am writing a WWW assessment for YWAM Campus Ministries staff and their projects.

2. Which of the quantum thinking principles have I already practiced and how can I improve on them?

The Field Ministry Internship programme is a serving/learning outreach project for university student teams integrating their field of study with ministries cross-culturally. Vella's book referred to so many things that I have been attempting to do since 1989. For example, to help students feel `safe' we form small teams of 4 to 7. During the first few days in the host country, we typically send small teams out on a `scavenger hunt' in order to learn how to get around with some measure of independence within the safety of their small group. We send small teams to integrate well as a short-term team on a long-term field project. In this way, the students also gain a greater level of participation in the serving/learning process. The students design their own field projects on site as they assess the needs of the long-term personnel and projects they are serving.

I can see how we practice a learning needs assessment, but we do not involve the students enough. We are concerned for safety in the learning process, but I can see that some additional structure and demonstration of concern for the students learning process will raise the energy level and create an environment where learning can take place even when there is much uncertainty. We have structured the outreach program with four phases: Orientation to Cultural Awareness to Ministry to Debriefing. I have learned that we need to add a fifth phase, an Assessment Phase, before the Ministry phase. To date it has been assumed by the leadership, but students have had little understanding of that important phase. To show more respect for the students, we need to document the Assessment phase. By doing so we will be showing more respect to the students giving them more opportunity to participate and take responsibility to decide.

This book is providing a guideline for a full team leader training program. I am very excited about the potential increase in skills that our team leaders can develop through a week-long seminar for FMI team leadership.

Summary

I have created a matrix grid in my journal with Vella's 7 steps for course design for follow up. The key words, RESPECT and ENERGY, are at the top of the list to encourage me to focus my attention on these key values for the adult learners. I have placed a column on the page for each of the 10 different student internship and YWAM leadership training programs I am leading or developing. For each of the seven steps I am considering the different approaches for each of the different programs, depending on the participants, the outcomes, the context, the content, and how learning can be measured and sequenced for greatest effectiveness. I'm expecting quantum changes in all of our programs.

Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach is designed to demonstrate the power and value of dialogue over monologue, and active over passive learning when it comes to educating adults. Vella demonstrates through real life examples how her twelve transcendent principles flesh out in a variety of specific contexts all around the world. This book is designed to help all adult educators embody and model a more effective way to facilitate actual learning. Not only does the book clearly explain and illustrate the twelve principles, but it also calls us to engage and analyze the principles along the way. This book demonstrates what active learning is all about.

A quick summary of the principles for effective adult learning:
1. Needs Assessment: The First Step in Dialogue
It is important to have a need-oriented approach to learning, where the scratch meets the itch by asking the www (political) question - "Who needs what as defined by whom?"
2. Safety: Creating a Safe Environment for Learning
Creating an atmosphere where learners feel safe: where they can trust in the feasibility, relevance and sequence of the learning objectives; where the learners can be both "creative and critical" in their response to the program in an affirming environment.
3. Sound Relationships: The Power of Friendship and Respect
The relationship between the teacher and student is vital. The more that the teacher can formally and informally create a relationship of mutual respect, the greater the motivation and learning potential of the adult learner.
4. Sequence and Reinforcement: Knowing Where and How to Begin
Based upon the needs assessment, the teacher designs an appropriate sequence of lessons moving from simple to complex and from group supported to mastering the lessons alone, in a way the reinforces the learning outcomes. The Seven Steps of Planning: Who, Why, When, Where, What For, What and How help design and reinforce the achievement-based objectives.
5. Praxis: Action with Reflection
Praxis is practice in dynamic relation with thought, where the learner engages in the practice of a new skill, attitude or concept - then immediately reflects on what they just did. The process of action and reflection, practice and thought is repeated in a cyclical process, each informing the other.
6. Respect for Learners: Learners as Subjects of Their Own Learning
In as far as it is possible, allow adult learners to determine what occurs in a learning event, based on their need assessment and the seven steps of planning.
7. Learning with Ideas, Feelings and Actions
Active learning is more effective than passive learning and requires learning objectives that help people think, feel and do.
8. Immediacy: Teaching What is Really Useful
Inviting people to immediately use a skill and see its benefit, gives them motivation to continue to learn more of the skills set out in the learning sequence.
9. Clear Roles: Reinforcement of Human Equity between Teacher and Student
The goal is to do whatever is necessary to foster honest dialogue, so that adults can learn together - while at the same time clarifying who has a deliberate voice and who has a consultative voice.
10. Teamwork: How People Learn Together
By using small groups in healthy competition with each other, the learners are able to provide reinforcement and constructive feedback with each other, enabling effective learning.
11. Engagement: Learning As an Active Process
The goal is not to cover a set of materials, but to allow the learner to engage in an active process of learning by doing.
12. Accountability: Success Is in the Eyes of the Learner
In the end, the educator wants to understand if the learner has actually learned the achievement-based outcomes. The best way to determine if someone has learned is to see if the learner is able to put into action what they have learned and if they have confidence that they "know that they know".

This is a great book to help teachers engage their students in active learning.

This small catechism, though not a deal clencher on its own, certainly played a vital role in my move from the contemporary American evangelical movement to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. If you're looking for solid teaching on the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, The Apostles Creed, the Lord's Supper, baptism, and Confession and Absolution, then the writing in this book will aid you along very nicely. For those who desire a deeper look at the Lutheran Confessions I would recommend purchasing a copy of the Book of Concord, which has a copy of the Small and Large Catechisms. That said, I highly recommend this version of the small catechism as it's nice to have as a resource when questions come up.

As a former Thelemic briother and now baptized Lutheran, I have to say that Christianity is a lot more gothic and the all around best religion in the world today. This book is for the baptized or church going Lutheran. What's really great in real terms is that this book is used by Lutheran ministers for adult confirmation, which I am currently attending. Anything you give your church is considered a donation. They ask for none of your income whatsoever. Behold the glory of the crucifix.

This book, which describes the basic teaching for what was the only Protestant denomination at the outset of the Reformation, should be required reading for Protestants. Provides a solid foundation for what it means to be a Christian, Protestant, and a Lutheran. Provides the essential teaching on what is expected. Great for kids.

Beautiful new cover and color. Inside the new page color(cream or tan) makes the print just jump off the page. Very easy to read.
Everyone should read this book, and find out what Lutherans believe and why.

I have been a Christian for quite a few years. And I went through two years of confirmation classes as a teen. But over the last few years as I spent more time in God's Word, I found I had a lot of questions. I asked my pastor, but never got satisfactory answers. I recently joined a Lutheran (LCMS) church and read this book and the Book of Concord. I found both to be very helpful, but in particular, I enjoyed how the Small Catechism answered so many of the questions I had previously been unable to answer. All of the points are backed up with quotations from scripture (NIV translation) which I also liked. All in all, I highly recommend this book. I think it is appropriate for all Christians, not just Lutherans.

My six year lod daughter can hardly put theses books down, she loves the wholwe series.

this book is great! its about malory, and how she connects to a new thourough bred hourse that arrived at Chestnut Hill.
and to the rebelling heartland lovers, it DOES have amy in it!!

This is a great book! I am reading the heartland series, and both series are great! This book is happy, and exciting! Has an interesting plot and makes you want to read it again and again!

I Loved this book!! It was wonderful, heart-warming and fun to read. I love horses and love to read so this was just my kind of book. The one thing I didn't like about it was that she had to have a boy friend, but they didn't make a big deal about that. So over all this was an awsome story!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

Attention all Heartland Lovers! I have made a website dedicated to everything about Heartland. It is filled with info on all the books and the author. You also may review a book and log into the chat room. There is also a weekly poll that changes every week. I also have a little section for Chestnut Hill. The URL is http://www.freewebs.com/horse_lvr13/ . Come check it out.

This is an amazing series! I first read it in the early 70's as a fifth grader and as teacher I read it every year to my third, fourth and fifth graders. They love it.

I remembered reading these books in the 70's and got this book for my son. My "reluctant reader" fifth grader loved the entire series. A great pick for kids who are more interested in straight fiction "real" characters and plots, as opposed to fantasy/science fiction (which can confound less strong readers). I wish the entire series was in print.

The third book in the series has mighty big shoes to fill but it lives up to expectations very well.
Other reviewers have expressed concern over the lack of stories with the main character (Tom), but this book is true to it's title and deals with the younger Fitzgerald in very well.\

I applaud the author for taking time to focus on the troubles of a younger sibling when his older (and more conniving) brother is absent.

I enjoyed this book very much when I was younger, and still enjoy it now that I am an adult and father.

This series is one that I hope to share with my children as they grow up, and I hope they will get as much pleasure from the stories as I did.

This book presents a very nice change of pace in the Great Brain series. The Great Brain has gone off to boarding school, and J. D. thinks that he will fill the Great Brain's shoes and try to swindle the kids in town. All of J. D.'s plans backfire, and he learns that swindling people is not something that is to be admired or done. The main focus of the book is on J.D.'s family's adoption of Frankie, a little boy whose parents were killed in an accident. It's a very heartwarming portrayal of a family's acceptance of a new member, and it is not at all lacking in comic relief. Mr. Fitzgerald's humor is not at all lacking in this book, and perhaps is even better than in the rest of the series. I definitely enjoyed this book.

Overall grade: A

I read these books as child by checking them out of a library. Now almost 20 years later, I have decided to reread them all starting from the beginning. In this book, J.D. decides that he can fill the Great Brain (T.D.)'s shoes, while T.D. is away at the Academy in Salt Lake City. It turns out to be a humbling experience, thus the title, Me and My Little Brain. While some people may tell you that this book isn't as good without the presence of the Great Brain, I found this book just as entertaining as the rest. The storytelling is as superb as the rest. You don't want to miss this book because it introduces the character, Frankie, who allows this book to still be about brothers. Towards the end of this book, we find out that J.D. can still do some amazing stuff even though he has a little brain. This book and The Great Brain at the Academy are parallel books, which describe events happening at the same time, however, you should read this book first to have things make sense.

...and I look forward to reading it myself. My son liked the characters and the story line, was intrigued by the name "Nitro," which led to a dynamite conversation, and told me he thought I'd like the book a lot too.

Though the protagonist of this well-written novel is a "normal" sixth grader, I wonder whether the erudite family and school setting he is privileged to have would be something a "typical" American middle-schooler could really relate to. That said, this could be an excellent book for a teacher to read and discuss with a middle school class; parents who regularly read books together with their older kids could also use it as a great discussion starter for all kinds of topics and issues that develop throughout the book.

Any text that includes discussion of John Donne's poetry, background on Good King Wenceslas, Pele and Mia Hamm, and excerpts from T.S. Elliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats in a way that younger readers can understand and even enjoy is definitely to be recommended.

I had the curious experience of meeting Devin Brown before I knew much about "Not Exactly Normal". He was one of the authors at a festival showcasing largely YA books. While I knew practically nothing about the others, I knew that Mr. Brown had previously written a book on Narnia so, when I arrived, I went to the B & N tent and purchased "Not Exactly Normal" (plus two other books). I loved the title at once. It reminded me of a friend-therapist who says that no one is "normal" as we think of the word. We're - everyone - just a little bit a-kilter from that abstract center-point of humanity. (That's a very reassuring observation if you consider yourself to be "unconventional".)

According to the blurb on the back cover, the protagonist (Todd Farrel) sounded like an interesting kid. For a start, his best friend is named Nitro & his dog Cathode. He likes swimming and soccer amongst other things but he's also interested in having a mystical experience. The blurb even mentioned "seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary". Mystical experiences? Yowsa! The book sounded like a far cry from the usual one-note "school story" books.

Well, I managed to miss Mr. Brown's talk at the festival but I was curious about him so decided to wait out the autograph line in order to exchange a few words. When it was my turn, I mumbled something about my own experience with the mystical or "numinous" (as Lewis or Tolkien would have termed it). My words elicited a keen look of ... understanding or ... recognition. I realized that Devin Brown had written from personal experience. (Yowsa #2)

I've read the book with slightly different expectations than the other reviewers maybe, For one thing I was looking for any bit of authenticity in the protagonist's search for the mystical. Yes, I found lots of evidence pointing to experiences with the mystical by the author. At the same time, Todd Farrel and his friends, Nitro and Leda, came across as absolutely realistic. Some scenes were thought-provoking but many evoked nostalgia and some were outrageously funny.

I found Todd's family perhaps a touch too close to the extraordinary family in Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time series and Mr. Phillip's sixth grade class perhaps a trifle close to the class in The Dead Poets' Society. But please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here! I'm not talking about "literary clones" but about an author breathing life into an extraordinary class and family and making them as real as, well, as "normal" ones - whatever they are.

Every word of what I just wrote is backwards, the more I look at it. Really what the author has achieved is showing us the extraordinary in an ordinary classroom teacher and in ordinary family members. He does this throughout the book with various settings and experiences - subtly highlighting brief outdoor scenes, moments of perfect teamwork between soccer players, and encounters between Todd and Leda all of which embody something "other" - something beyond the norm. As Todd says in one case, it was a "shimmery" moment.

This is a "shimmery" book. Maybe I was just lucky, but I found a lot of goofy ordinary school scenes and a lot of shimmery moments long before "the pivotal emergency" near the end of the story.

I hope that you will do so as well. Just keep looking for the extraordinary.

Sherry Thompson

(Oh, take a close look at the moon on the cover. It's not exactly normal. ;)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! So much of modern literature fails to provide a satisfying ending. You invest time and energy into getting to know the characters, only to have an ending that does not ring true to their traits or story arc. Not so with NOT EXACTLY NORMAL!!!

Mr. Brown artfully finessed the ending to leave you feeling complete and satisfied--in a true storyteller fashion. I felt rewarded for the investment I made in Todd Farrel. Mr. Brown also does an excellent job of conveying weighty, moral topics in a simplistic, easy to digest manner. While undertaking this task it would have been easy to cross the line into pedantic and preachy (many fine authors have slipped across this line), NOT EXACTLY NORMAL never feels that way! Mr. Brown seems to respect the reader and their ability to glean the moral issues rather than hitting you over the head with them.

I also felt the characters were deftly drawn. The kids did age appropriate things, interacted with each other in a realistic fashion and spoke with voices that sounded like sixth graders (and not like an adult man trying to sound like a sixth grader).

I whole-heartedly recommend this book for adults, as well as young adults! In NOT EXACTLY NORMAL, Mr. Brown has refreshed the art of good storytelling.

My wife and I very much enjoyed reading Not Exactly Normal. Travel along with Todd Farrell, who is an ordinary 6th grade student going to a private school in a small town. Ordinary events, however, become extraordiary as Todd searches for a mystical experience as a part of his big Social Studies project. The characters are very vibrant and easy to identify with. There are many teaching moments in this book and it would be great for literature and/or religion classes in middle school and high school.

Sicerely,
Richard Galentino

An excellent message and a good chapter book for those readers who are starting to gain confidence.

THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT LEARNING TOOL. IT IS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT AND I AM SURE IT WILL BE READ AND EACH CHILD WILL LEARN FROM IT!

I just got this book yesterday for my son who just turned 3 years old. He really enjoyed it and after reading it, he kept asking me to read it over. He was very interested because he started asking questions at the end. He just started preschool and I wanted to introduce him to possible situations he might go through while in school. This story gives a great lesson on how to handle a situation when someone says something mean to you. My son also enjoyed it because the situation takes place in school and at a basketball court, which he can relate to because he started school and he loves to play basketball.

I was looking for a book to help my 9 year-old deal with other kids who say cruel and demeaning things. My son and I sat down and read the book together and then discussed how saying "so" when mean things are said takes away the bullies power. We decided that "so" was his new secret weapon.

My son was so excited when the very next day at school he used his secret weapon and it worked. He has also shared the book with a few of his classmates and it has helped them too.

GREAT BOOK!

The Meanest Thing To Say is not about saying mean things back to mean people. And it isn't even about mean people. What it IS about is children learning self-control, level-headedness and heart. When the new kid, Michael, calls Little Bill names, and says he has to think of the meanest things to say back the next day, Bill is frustrated and anxious. This comes up at home and his dad tells him to just say, "So?" to everything. Little Bill does this and it halts Michael. It takes two people to fight. But the moral of the story doesn't stop here. Bill observes Michael is a new student and maybe just needs a friend. So he invites him to play basketball with him and they become friends.

Unfortunately it is reality that children can be very mean and hurtful. As parents, we need to teach our children how to handle bullies and it's equally as important to teach them not to BE a bully. Also, just ignoring mean actions and words doesn't always work. Everyone has good in them and we all, ages 2-102 need to offer kindness instead of anger. Great job, Cosby! Thank you and please keep writing. Peace & Soar!o8E

I've been reading and studying Course materials for years and only recently read this book. Robert Perry does a phenomenal job of distilling into this synopis both content and context, offering practical suggestions on how to actually read, interpret, and practice the material. If you find yourself getting bogged down in the language of the Course, this book can launch you into a deeper level of understanding. I reccommend "Path of Ligth" for any serious student of the Course.

Robert Perry is one of the most respected teachers of 'A Course In Miracles'. His previous publications address many aspects of the Course's teachings. In 'Path of Light' he has produced what is arguably his most important work.

The Course has a simple teaching, based on explaining the true meaning and application of forgiveness in our daily lives. This transformative practice will enable us all to reawaken and experience our true Self and relationship with God. This process is not one that is always easy to follow or even accept. To progress requires determination and patience and frequently the support of others.

'Path of Light' is one of the latest support books available. Robert's conversational, but clear and concise, style is ideal for both the beginner and the more serious student. He explains how the Course was received and exactly what it is. He then goes on to explain the the Course's teaching and the role of the Text, Workbbook and Manual for Teachers. A glossary defines the more commonly used terms in the context of the Course. Uniquely, Robert uses diagrams to illustrate the concepts, I found this particularly useful.

As a Course student of over 20 years I have read many related books that have tried to explain the ACIM's overall concepts; this one is the best.

Mike Tolley

I've never written a book review, but I was very inspired after reading this book.
I have been on a break from studying A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and had no intention of starting the lessons again, because my time is so limited working full time. But the book really helped me find that time. What happened was the Holy Spirit moved into my heart and sent me on the right path. I have been a student of ACIM since 1990. This is the BEST book I have ever read on ACIM. I have started to do the lessons again. I do a lesson each day, and then after doing the lesson I read Path of Light. ACIM has a way of coming into an experience so timely when reading it, that it seems like it was written in that moment, for you in that moment. Path of Light has a way of fitting right into the lesson that I'm on for that day. I know that this book was Divinely guided, and I am so grateful that Mr. Perry wrote it. I just bought another Path of Light book for my stepdaughter. She lives in Ft. Collins Colorado and doesn't have a teacher there to help her. This book will be such a help to her. I wish that I had this book when I first started studying ACIM, it would have speeded up my learning. I'm so thankful to Robert Perry for being such a Light to all the ACIM students.

This is simply a wonderful book, a real breath of fresh air amid some of the arid commentary out there.

If you're interested in the Course, but unsure if it's for you, this is a great place to find out. Or, if you're like I have been in the past, and are something of a wayward student, then you'll find big doses of both inspiration and insight to get you safely back on your Way.

Long-term, faithful students will get "extra credit" for this read. Truly there's something here for everybody. As of this writing I've dug into this book three times and I'm sure there's still gold I have yet to mine. Spend the money, spend the time, get the value.

My experience with Circle Publishing's books is that they are consistently well written, contain great wisdom and are delightful not only to the mind, but also to hand and eye. They are quality productions. This book is no exception and showcases Robert Perry as a gifted communicator and excellent interpreter of A Course in Miracles.

Peace to you.

This book helped piece the course together to make it understandable and so relevent. It totally changed my studying habits of the course and broadened my understanding of it. I cannot recommend this book enough for those interested in the course. It was invaluable to me.

There is no wasted verbiage in this book. Counting the index, it is but 205 pages in length. In those 205 pages are jewels of wisdom that most management teams are lacking.

The most prevelant gems are pithy observations set aside by top and bottom border lines. One example:
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"The atmosphere in most American companies is so riddled with fear of expendability that workers are afraid totell a boss what they think of his methods of managing."
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The book is organized in such a way as to point out the shallowness of bottom line neurosis and the strengths of inclusive decision making. Over and over, Dr. Jones identifies "Spirit Killers," i.e., those actions in an organization which diminish productivity and, subsequently, profitability, educational insight, and family harmony.

This book intertwines management schemes in business, education and the family. such integration serves to:
-Expose the fallacies of autocracy.
-Explore the possibilities of democracy in an organization.
-Break up management notions that have been set in stone.
-Propose better methods for bringing about civilized organizations.

The book seems to be intended as a tool in business, a text in academia, or a how to book for families. Personally, I'm inclined to recommend it to business schools and/or corporate trainers, though not to the exclusion of the other two entities.

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Norman Jones is a leadership specialist and a keen observer of what management has done to discourage productivity. He encourages management to lift up the human spirit and to create a more harmonious work environment, therefore creating a people-oriented and inspirational place for ideas to thrive and businesses to succeed.

He compares the Autocratic and Democratic management styles. In the Autocratic world, the boss has a sharp voice, speaks in a commanding way, asserts his/her power, demands cooperation, imposes ideas, criticizes, punishes and has sole responsibility of the group. The Democratic way to run a business puts the "boss" in a different light altogether. He now becomes the "leader," with a friendly voice, he uses his/her influence in positive ways, wins cooperation, tells what he/she would like to have done, sells ideas, guides, encourages, acknowledges achievement, helps employees solve problems, discusses ideas, and shares responsibility with his team players/employees. One of the main problems in business is an impersonal approach to dealing with people.

Norman Jones calls this ..."Spirit Killing." It is one of the reasons so many people are dissatisfied with their work environments and turn to drugs or alcohol to stop the "mental pain." Spirit Killers include: distrust, ridicule, resentment, retaliation, alienation, harassment, deceit, humiliation, stress, tension, fear, sarcasm, belittlement and embarrassment.

These "Spirit Killers" produce demotivation, apathy and insecurity. Not exactly the ideal environment for a healthy productive company. Instead Norman Jones encourages institutions to create self-motivation through: trust, promoting self-esteem, giving employees a sense of belongingness, helping employees obtain job satisfaction, providing a means of recognizing accomplishments, and actually treating employees in a caring manner by listening and showing a genuine concern. When managers learn to listen to their employees the company can grow. Too often, their is a "top-down" philosophy in which all employees are dependent on their ideas from the top. This stifles creativity. Most companies which have our respect not only listen to their employees, they listen to their customers. Amazon.com is one of those companies. They answer every single e-mail from their customers in a very prompt and courteous manner.

"Today's top-down management wants highly energetic, conscientious people, but fails to see how it deprives these people of fulfillment of psychological needs that could stoke the energy." page 34

Since we all have a natural inclination to strive for achievement and need to feel job satisfaction, Norman believes America is hungry for business leaders who not only inspire us to be better human beings, but also encourage us to be internally motivated to meet company goals and be more successful in our jobs.

"When people believe they are helping a company or organization, their self-esteem blossoms." page 19

Unfortunately, modern day businesses use the threat of expendability to attempt to gain optimum productivity and in the process destroy the human spirit. Like a row of dominoes tumbling over, Norman Jones knocks over old ideas of management and shows the way with new principles and creative solutions. He focuses on how business has neglected the research available to them. He sees this as the cause of many problems.

In order to see America's work centers enter a new era of high energy, thriving and productivity in the years to come, the leaders, parents, teachers and even government will need to evaluate their approach to the current dehumanized workplace. Norman believes our country's success will depend on creating a productive arena where the thoughts, feelings and ideas of employees can be expressed. To do this managers must know how to nurture "good attitudes."

An example of a poor motivational statement which is all to common:

"Your report was a good one, but we need them faster and more often."

An example of a good internal motivational statement:

"You can sure be proud of that report; it took a lot of work."

It was also enlightening to compare two letters written by a manager to a difficult employee. In the first letter the use of "I" permeated the letter and caused it to seem demanding and arrogant. In the "improved letter," the use of "we" helped the employee to see they were an integral part of the company. In the first letter, they were expendable.

While the main focus of this book is business, a few chapters are devoted to family and the school system. I believe your religious beliefs determine how you raise your children in most cases. Norman Jones did not write this book from a religious standpoint and his book focuses on research.

This book may just be the perfect gift to give to your boss this Christmas. You may just be giving yourself a great work environment in the coming year. After all those "memos" you have to read, the least your boss can do is read an inspiring book! If you are interested in Psychology you will enjoy that aspect. If you are in management you will love the insights on how you can drive your business forward for optimal success. Your employees might even vote you as their favorite boss of all time. After all, who do we love the most in life? People who treat us fairly and give us the respect we deserve.

~The Rebecca Review

Hello; I sent in a review nearly 2 months ago and have not seen it posted. Is there a problem with it? Jim Harmon jimharmon@charter.net

Every manager wants the silver bullet that will transform his or her organization from an also-ran into the leader of the pack. Dr. Jones shows us how, without preaching. In today's environment the emphasis is always on some measurable result - profit, productivity etc. Dr. Jones reminds us the result is not possible without the journey and the journey begins and ends with how employees are treated. Great job, Dr. Jones!

Rod Walsh, Co-author - Semper Fi: Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way

Once read, this book can be set aside for the moment, but a compelling urge requires that you return to it for insight and guidance. Dr. Norman Jones has assembled a work that reflects his knowledge of how we relate to each other within our family unit, in our business, acedemic, and social lives. We can improve our relationships within these units, by using the techniques that he outlines. It is not just our own genetic make-up that determines out actions, but it is how we are treated by the people in our lives that have the most influence on us.

Maybe, just maybe, Dr. Jones' approach to the humanistic values in our relationships, expecially between students, their teachers and parents, could have helped prevented the violence that is currently happening in our schools.

Keep it on your bookshelf for inspiration and guidance, go back to it when you need help in any personal relationship, on the job, in your school, or within your family.

Thanks to Dr. Norman Jones for his insight and for this exceptional publication.