Education Books

I was a summer camp counselor for seven summers, and this guide was fantastic for those years. It is a staple reference at our camp for other counselors to read. A true reference from a distinguished psychologist and counselor given to other counselors. Thanks

This is a really helpful book for preparing for summer camp. Here's a tip I got from a friend: if you buy it through acabookstore.org (ACA = American Camping Association) then it comes with a DVD-CD set. My son, who's pretty anxious about going to camp, watched the DVD and that really helped turn his anxiety into excitement. The book and DVD give great tips on preparing (packing, etc.) for camp, but also gives great insight on how to approach the camp experience. Together they answered a lot of questions I didn't even know to ask. It's one of those things you can't afford not to get.

This book really covers what you need to know before you send your child to sleepaway camp. The part that was most helpful to me was the research the authors have done on homesickness. Before I got this book I was guessing about how to handle my daughter's homesickness, and I came up with one or two of their recommendations. But after I read this book I felt I understood how to handle this with my daughter and also what the camp and counselors can do to help. There's a great list of all the things you can do. And everything the authors said rings true with my experience.

It's well written, easy to follow, and has parts written just for kids to read. There's even a section to tell kids how to get the most out of camp - from general guidelines on how to treat others to good advice on how to deal with living with lots of kids in a small space.

Every parent, camper, counselor and camp director should read this book! Parents will have a more relaxing time while their kids are away, campers will know better what to expect and how to have the most fun, counselors will know better what to do, and camp directors will have fewer problems with kids AND parents.

The best thing about this book was that it was so helpful to both me and my daughter when it came time to start preparing for her first stay at summer camp. We relied on the suggested internet search engines in the book to find the camps and used the section on co-ed vs. single-sex camps to come to a conclusion that my daughter and I(!) were comfortable with. I've already spread the word about this book to all the parents I know that are thinking about sending their kids off to camp. Every parent will feel better once they've read the homesickness section.

I bought Chris Thurber's book on Friday, and watched him on NBC's Today Show this morning (June 9, 2003). Seeing him in person confirms what I thought: he is a camping expert with a wealth of helpful information for parents and kids alike. I feel so much better sending my son to camp knowing that Chris and Jon's research has helped us prepare in a way that will maximize the fun and minimize the homesickness at camp. Buying this book is a small investment in a positive experience whose benefits, I am sure, will last a lifetime. (I found the perfect camp for my son by visiting the American Camping Association's web page: acacamps.org.)

it covers every aspect of swimming in great depth, such as hydrodynamics, stroke techniques, nutrition, weight training, starts and turns and much more.

high recommended for all fitness and competitive swimmers.

I've readed a lot of books about swimming and I must declare that this one is probably the best.
It analise every aspect of this sport and supported by an impressionant bibliography it can separate facts from suppositions and errors.
This book has helped me to understand the deepest aspect of training and swim propulsion in the four strokes, and it can be well used in addiction with other manuals.
I'm emotionally waiting for Maglischo next work.

This is the best swimming book I have ever read. Everything a swimmer or coach needs: training principles, swimming technique, and mental aspects of the sport. It covers everything even how you should split your race. Lots of drills for every stroke.

This book has served me well as a coach for many years, and I have given it as a gift to several coaches and top swimmers. Whether or not you care to get lost in the endless debate over Bernoulli versus Newton, this book has much more to offer. I trained under Ernie Maglischo and this book has served as the marvelous manifestation of his patient and persistent work on deck. I recommend it without reservation.

I'm primarily a rower, so I can't speak about the swimming-specific sections of this book. But I can rave about the more generally applicable sections. I've used this book for several years to design training programs for various rowing events, from 500 meters (about 1.5-2 minutes) to 2,000 meters (about 7-8 minutes) to head races (20 minutes and longer). Maglischo's explanations of how to balance the levels of effort in a training program for sprint or endurance events is tremendously helpful, as are the explanations of how to periodize training programs and create daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly programs.

The only tiny criticism I have of this book is that I would find it slightly more useful if the swimming distances included approximate times for the events. That way, it would make transferring the principles to comparable events in different sports more straightforward.

I recommend this book to any coach or athlete of any racing sport. You'll find not only physiological issues addressed, but also issues concerning pacing and race strategy -- a must for anyone desiring an internal focus during racing.

Very easy to read in layman's terms. As the mother of a four year old with PDD, I would suggest this book as a great book to start off with if your child was diagnosed with autism or pdd. It touches on a lot of areas ABA, schooling etc. without getting to technical. It also has statements and examples made by adults with autism/pdd which I found very interesting.

Targeting Autism is an excellent book for those new to Autism. Families and teachers should especially appreciate the analysis and overview of the various educational interventions, from one-on-one methods, to group programs used in many preschool and school situations. The book lists many available resources and spotlights inspiring new advances in research creating an overall atmosphere of hope and possibility for the prospects of more universally effective treatments and eventual cure of this devastating developmental disorder.

Since the symptoms and manifestations of Autistic Spectrum Disorders vary in incidence and severity, those who read this book should not be unduly encouraged or discouraged by the often times conflicting reports of success and/or failure of the various treatments and interventions discussed, but rather use the information given to further investigate the possibilities of each treatment or intervention on an individual or case by case basis.

Why it should be so hard to find a book that thoughtfully discusses the myriad of autism treatments, I don't know. As a parent of a child diagnosed last year at age three, I appreciate this book.

Thank you Shirley Cohen for writing it. Thank you Amazon, for making it so easy to find.

I WORK WITH AUTSTIC KIDS SO I READ THIS BOOK TO UPDATE MYSELF.IT WAS GREAT IIT PROVIDE GREAT EXAMPLES FORM OTHER BOOKS. AND IT GAVE EVIDANCE THAT SOME OF THE CURES MIGHT WORK FORM SOME. ALSO IT PROVIDE GOOD INFO ON ASPEGERS YNDROME MOST OF THE BOOKS JUST GIVE IT A PPAARGPAPH.

First off, she defines autism in layman's terms and with first person testimonials.

Secondly, she provides a life cycle view of autism, so that you have SOME idea of what the future might hold for your child.

Third, she describes how families cope with autism, that some become driven, others fall apart, others adopt a "Holland" approach.

Then she discusses treatments, including a solid analysis of educational approaches such as Lovaas (leans positive), mainstreaming, TEACH, DAP, etc... and non-traditional approaches, such as AIT, FC, etc...

And she talks about recovery too, the controversy that very term raises. She closes this chapter with a quote that could have come straight out of my own heart: "A parent asked, What if my child remains autistic? What will we do? The best you can - with your love, your skills, and all the resources you can marshal - to help him achieve as independent and joyful a life as possible for him."

Perhaps I love this book because so much of what she writes does articulate what I have felt as I've gone over the different options for my son's interventions.

But also, her testimonials from a wide range of sources really help to illuminate autism as well.

And finally, her book is very REASONED in tone.

The only thing missing is a chapter that summarizes her thoughts about what she thinks parents should do. I mean really, most parents are reading these books for ADVICE! Even if parents eventually do something else, its always nice to have a plan laid out that you can either agree with or react against and develop your own. You won't find an action plan here, but the information provided should help you in making one of your own.

ray linn was, for me, the catalyst for a life long interest in philosophy and the ideas of postmodernism. i treasure this book as a reflection of him and his insights. as michael said, it's really more of linn's intellectual journey than it is a basic "key terms" guide (and it's a far better and more stimulating read because of it). that said, i have this little tome cracked open as i write a term paper on wittgenstein, so its definitely useful as a reference for some pretty complicated ideas. core baby for life.

Although, on the one hand, it is more one man's account of his intellectual life in Postmodernity than an actual account of Postmodernism; on the other, this book is useful in the sense that it familiarizes the reader with some key terms and ideas.
If you thought Russell's History of Philosophy was a good way to actually understand intellectual history, then this book is for you. If not then this book is useful as a starting guide at best.

As a former student of the ever brilliant Mr.Linn, I can attest to the fact that this is a great book. Any one who likes Postmodern philosophy will find this book very useful because it makes a complicated subject understandable and interesting.

Cleveland Rocks!!!

Well, it certainly seems as though quite a few CHS alums have come on to [...] to sing the praises of our old H.S. philosophy teacher. While he was a remarkable teacher, and the fact that he enabled H.S. seniors to actually understand postmodernism is truly remarkable, I think no greater praise can be offered to A Teacher's Instruction to Postmodernism than this:
As I sit here, a second year graduate student in philosophy, sweating over the intricacies of Wittgenstein's writing, it is this book that serves as my lifeline to understanding these theories. Yes, a book that was comprehensable as a 12th grade student, it serving as my most valuable resource.
Thanks Ray!

Never before have I read such magnificance in all my years as a college student. This has inspired me to further pursue my interests in the post-modern world. I trust that all educated scholars will appreciate this work filled with ideas concerning the existence of every individual. I ardently recommmend this book to anyone who has the time to contemplate over his or her post-modern existence.

I would love to see this book updated and organized with color coded tabs for easy reference. It had a lot of good tools and ideas, for both parents and teachers. We pass this along to our teacher every year.

As a parent of children with TS, I obtained this book for teachers to have a better understanding of techniques in the classroom. Consistently, I came across teachers who would apply the techniques uniformly and dismiss the "it depends" approach which is critical in dealing with TS... from the standpoint that the condition is ever changing in an individual, and it is different from one person to the next. (Too many teachers would say, "Oh I've had a TS child before"... I have *two* as well, and they and the *effective* approaches in teaching them couldn't be more different from one another.)

For example: putting a child near the front of the room for attention issues and to help them keep on track... may be devastating for a child who does not want their tics on display, and of course not necessary for the child who tics but who does not have attention issues.

Seating arrangements need to be assessed INDIVIDUALLY for every child; and for those with TS, it needs to be assessed more than once... the condition is dynamic, not static, (it waxes and wanes), the techniques need to be dynamic too. Too often I see the techniques gleaned from the book used statically and never re-visited throughout the academic year as to wether they are working, and/or if they are needed at any given moment.

The book doesn't necessarily indicate static approaches, it just seems to me that once the book is read, (or skimmed is more likely what I found to be the case by our educators), that the educators we've dealt with will focus on one erroneous technique that may have nothing to do with our child's current needs or situation, and claim that they are modifying their techniques for our child with TS, with no consideration as to the effectiveness. Or worse, (from our child's standpoint), they will read about *behavior* approaches when in fact our child has no associated behavior issues, (the book tends to lump different but sometimes associated conditions like ADHD, OCD, Anxiety, Mood disorders - and offer techniques without clearly delineating if the symptoms are TS or from other conditions), and the resulting assumptions as to the root cause of any given *in-classroom* behavior can have a devastating impact on a child with TS, especially if *intention* is thought to be behind *disruptive* behavior.

Don't use this book unless you plan to delve deeper into your student with TS, and their exact manifestation of symptoms, and their pattern of symptoms and then be prepared to re-visit the THEN resulting specific application of techniques, on a continual basis, other wise you can do more damage than good by ASSUMING that you are applying techniques covered in the book, when in fact you may not be addressing the specific situation your student finds themselves in, in any given week, in any given hour.

The plan needs to be flexible, use the book ala carte or for brain storming solutions... don't apply it like a recipe, your ingredients will always be different with a TS student.

I have a now 17 year old daughter who began really struggling in school at age 10, 5th grade. We had her evaluated by the school and they determined that because her IQ was high, she was not eligible for special services, despite the fact that she was failing almost every subject and had trouble socially. I took her to our own child neuro-psychiatrist and, after a lengthy interview and eval, she was diagnosed with tourette syndrome. Further it was determined that she was manifesting her TS with many symptoms of ADHD and OCD...something the school district refused to take into consideration.

I stumbled upon this book at our local book store and literally sat in the aisle just soaking up the most accurate description of my daughter that anyone had ever been able to give me - and it was a BOOK! It was as if I could have written the list of symptoms and the various methods they offered that work (most of the time). I immediately paid the $35 for this book without reservation and read it from cover to cover, several times. There are about 10 pages in the back of the book with many many other resources for parents, DR's and educators.

The thing about any brain disorder is that they vary in degree and there are very few who have an exact definition or symptomology...iow, no two are ever truly alike. It is VERY common for kids with TS to have crossover symptoms of ADHD and OCD and vice versa. This book addresses those symptoms. This book also talks a lot about the common 'rage attacks' that many of these kids experience and how it's such a normal reaction to what they are going through...it really helps the parents to put their child's behavior into perspective and rather than parent from a purely punitive standpoint, the parent can custom fit their parenting styles to suit that child. This book shows you how to do that. It offers tips and resources to help teachers deal with these types of kids in a way that is not humiliating and embarrassing to the child or his classmates. This book helped me to 'read' my daughter and learn how to diffuse a rage attack before it happened - any idea how incredible that is??

Most teachers have been trained to teach one way. They have a population of about 24-30+ students in their class and they have to figure out a way to teach them all so they teach to the majority. Who does that leave out? The bright shiny star students and those who need a helping hand or those who need just a little encouragement and a few secret code words to get through a lesson plan. The majority of teachers do not have the time or the wherewithall to accomplish the goal of moving from one lesson plan to the next with ease when she has even ONE special needs kid in her class. Someone loses and most often, it is the student who needs the help the most. Sure, the schools provide paras, but only in the classrooms that have a named special education student in them. If you have a kid who has TS and isn't designated Spec Ed, then his/her class will not have a para in it.

That's another reason this book is so valuable to ALL teachers. Each of our children learn in their own way...there is a way to teach them and teach them well. This book should be mandatory reading for all prospective teachers. Every teacher should have this book in her library!! I made 3 copies for my district, one for the elementary level, one for junior high, and one for the high school level. I don't think one person ever cracked it open; if my daughters experiences at our local public school are any indication. We transferred out to a charter school in 9th grade. She did very well there. The entire staff was very up on their special needs kiddos and my daughter benefitted from their style of teaching and their empathy - something that is sorely lacking in our public schools in my opinion. Buy this book!

I am 19 and when I was in elementary school tourette's was still looked upon by many proffessionals and most authority as something that "didnt exist"or the parents fault. My [...] teacher mrs. streneva used to poke me so hard in the chest when i disbehaved that i recieved many bruises on my chest. the doctors said i would never make it through public school. My mom paid 40 some dollars for this book back then, and we didnt have alot of money, and it cost a fortune, and this book was my moms treasure and she never ever let me hold it and never ever let any of the teachers borrow it, instead, she made then copied pages & such, and then the teachers would request more information on a topic and my mom would copy it from this book. this book educated alot of authority and all the teachers at Pleasant Elementary in Warren, Pennsylvania. This is a big miracle, I have a huge thanks for the writers who did this. This book is a 100% MUST HAVE for ANYONE with ANY amount of children with tourettes syndrome, ADHD, Depression, bi poklar, or any such. It is a strictly MUST HAVE. I reccomend this with everything in my heart and for helping me get through elementary school. As for for making it through public school? I am now a freshman at edinboro university of pennsylvania and even though my grades arent very good, I have made it this far, and I can do things with my life that doctors never thought would be possible. I am almost tic free, thanks to my medications. And it all started with this book.

I love this book, which I have found invaluable in educating my son's teachers about the disorder. It is basically a compilation of information that any well read TS parent has probably found in 20 different locations, but for the novice looking for a thorough overview in one book, "Teaching The Tiger" goes a LONG way toward increasing their TS education. It gives practical advise re behavioral interventions that work, and more importantly those that DON'T.

I find teachers are more receptive to this book because it is written specifically for teachers (rather than taking advise/instuction from a parent). I've found it to be quite credible and informative to them. I believe the answer to stigma, ignorance, and misinformation (ex: the 20/20-60 Minutes/media representation of TS), is education. This book provides it, specifically aimed at giving teachers tips on dealing with TS in the CLASSROOM environment. My son's teachers have been really grateful for these TS-specific insights.

If you can afford the $35 for this book, DO! It is a worthwhile investment into making your child's educational road a smoother one. In the meantime, you may be able to do what I did. I borrowed a copy from the library and made photo copies of the most relevant chapters for each teacher/aide involved with my son. I also either showed them the book itself or made a photocopy of the cover, in case they wanted to purchase/borrow the entire book themselves. If you have a good relationship with the principal or school librarian, suggesting that the school purchase a copy for the staff library is also practical.

Those are my two cents, on "Teaching The Tiger". "Taming the Tiger" came first and provides a similar compilation of info for parents and others learning about TS. I hope you'll check out these books for yourself.

AMM

That's right... the 13th resource you want for your ministry is this book! It is creative, challenging and very effective for the new youth worker or an old tenured guy like me. If you work in a church or a para-church ministry, The Top 12 Resources is for you!

This book is an excellent resource for volunteers and career youth workers. Tons of great ideas which will help you open doors to sharing Christ with kids.

This is a very helpful book for volunteers and career Youth Workers. Tons for tools for opening doors to share Christ with teens.

This book is exactly what youth workers need--practical, user-friendly, thought-provoking, in-your-face ideas and resources.
As an in-the-trenches youth pastor, I often don't have time to sift through all the myriad articles, books and magazines to find the help I'm looking for. It's the one resource where I am almost always guaranteed to find help--no hype, this is from my own experience. Jonathan is an excellent communicator who has organized this book in a highly usable way.
I highly recommend this book!!

McKee has written a book that will help anyone working in Youth Ministry today. Everyone starting in Youth Ministry should read it for several reasons. It gives great ideas to get you started. Plus it gives powerful principles that will guide you in years to come while serving in Youth Ministry. I have worked with teenagers for a number of years and still found great tools in his book. The book is a must for Youth Pastors

This book has lots of drills to improve athletic performance. Although I haven't had a chance to try them out yet (I'm currently injured and unable to train), they seem like they would definitely improve your athletic performance.

This is a great book, it covers a wide range of training. I coach little league and have been able to take parts of this book and incorporate them into our conditioning and training at all levels. Have not used the DVD all that much but the book alone is worth it

Exactly what I was looking for.
Some brilliant drills in here.
I was hoping for more speed ladder stuff, but the amount of different stuff in here is great.

It's nicely organized with some good text.

A few descriptions were not so great.

Definitely recommended.

This is a great book and DVD set for plyometrics. Both the book and the DVD start with an "Athlete Fitness Assessment" so you can understand the athlete's performance at the beginning of training. This is lacking in many of the other plyometrics books and DVDs, which begin with instruction right away, without emphasis on assessing the athlete's ability prior to training. The materials are nicely organized into sections for Speed, Agility, Balance, Quickness, and Reaction Time. A "Purpose" is clearly defined for each set of drills, so readers at any level can understand the results which the exercises are intended to achieve. I am using this book to see where I am in my performance, and where I need to go. My only complaint is that the DVD plays the drills one at a time. It would be nice to have a "Play All" option in each section, so that I'm not using my remote every 30 seconds or so. The DVD is easy on the eyes and ears, though. Buy this set first, and save your time and money returning the other books and DVDs! Enjoy!

I thought this book was great for coaching athletes and putting together specific groupings of exercises to work on specific skills. The challenge though was that I bought it for myself and thought it would help me design something to help my triathlon speed. I'm thinking it requires a higher degree of background knowledge than I have at this point.

I started reading this book yesterday and I'm halfway through it. So far, it's pretty good. I wouldn't a young kid of the age of nine or ten to read this book due to the content and the foul language. Teen girls would like this book because there's always something juicy that's either happening or going to happen.

Morgan is a teenage star, an actress who loves spending money and living it up. After overdosing at the Viper Room and nearly dying, then spending time in rehab, she is sent to live with her mother's best friend in Indiana. She must attend a public high school for a year as Claudia Miller and let no one know who she really is, requiring a "makeunder" to disguise her famous face.

This book was written as a journal, so it's easy to stop and start. Though a tad predictable, as any 'secret identity' books are to me, it was surprisingly decent. Morgan has issues - big ones, beyond her materialistic ways - that come out as the story progresses. Make sure to check out the other titles in the series. The second book, More Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet, picks up right where this book left off.

Another adult who enjoys curling up with YA lit. I studied children/YA lit in college and always trying to keep on the cutting edge of this literary field. I recently picked up Confessions, expecting it to be "fluff" fiction, glamourizing the life of hollywood starlets. I was quite surprised to find out that the narrator is a recovering drug addict, serious about sobriety. This was a fabulously important story. Smart, chic, and entirely enjoyable. I am waiting anxiously for the sequel.

After a drug overdose, teen actress Morgan Carter was shipped of to live with "aunt" Trudy at Fort Wayner (which I thought was a military base...but it's not). With a new hair color and new name, Claudia Miller, she must live like a normal teenage girl for a year.
This book is nothing like the shallow gossip girls/a-list series. Its about a real girl with real emotions who is finding who she is without all the fancy lights and cameras and away from drugs and alcohol.
There's also a little romance but I think there will be a lot more of that in the second book. (I CANT WAIT!)
I recommend this book to any teen girl

After Hollywood It Girl Morgan Carter overdoses on narcotics, her mom decides that she needs to recover, and she thinks that won't be possible in L.A, so she sends Morgan to live with a friend in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Suddenly Morgan has newly dyed brown hair, a new name (Claudia Miller), and a new attendance of Narcotics Anonymous meetings. At first she is completely underwhelmed. Her friends at school are just slightly different from Marissa, her best friend in Hollywood. None of their clothes have labels, and the clothes they do wear don't exactly emphasize their assets and hid their faults the way they should. Their idea of partying involves soda (which they call pop) and pizza, and they fill their days with school, extracurriculars, and homework. Between guidance counselor sessions at school, NA meetings, school clubs, and a series of journal entries, Morgan is able to make some new friends and confidantes, and really get into her "role" as Claudia Miller. However, there's still that tiny something holding her back: her "real life," knowing she's going to have to return to it, and the fear of being discovered. At first Morgan seems vapid and flat, but as she spends more time in Ft. Wayne, she really mellows and becomes a likeable character. Lola Douglas' writing style is both entertaining and genuine, much like the story itself. By the end, you'll be seeing that Morgan Carter isn't so different from Claudia Miller, if only she'd give herself a chance.

I thought when i read this that it was nice and simple, and it was. I really enjoyed reading such a wonderful quick and easy read. Thank you Kate Brian for thia wonderful quick, easy, but enjoyable series!

After reading the first 2 novels in the private series, i couldnt wait to read untouchable!! I finished it the same day that i started it; it was a great book. it was a little bit unrealistic, though. it had a few too many twists and turns and the ending sort of leaves you hanging, but i definately recommend this to anyone who enjoys the private series.

This series is really addictive, and this book has a cliffhanger ending that's a sure way to make you desperate to read the fourth book, Confessions.

Once again, I am pulled in by the story of Reed Brennan and the Billings Girls. I would definitely recommend this series to anybody...

Right when Reed Brennan was accepted into the Billings Girls' clique and had finally gotten over her ex-boyfriend (if you could call him that) Thomas Pearce, she discovers that Thomas, the guy that she truly loved, was found dead. Now Reed feels guilty for ever moving on or thinking the worst about Thomas. It's hard for Reed to mourn his death since everyone around her is watching her every move and emotions. It doesn't help either that Thomas's parents couldn't care less that their son has passed away--or how Taylor, Kiran, Noelle, and Arianna are all acting very strange. Especially Taylor, who seems to be crying more than Reed over the death of Thomas.

Being at school doesn't help Reed's problems either. She can hardly focus on her school work, since her mind is always on Thomas. There are detectives there investigating Thomas's death, guessing that he was murdered, and interviewing all of the students about Thomas and his past.

But there is only one person that can actually keep Reed sane, and that's Josh. He's the only that actually makes her laugh now and she feels happy whenever she's around him. Except for the fact that he was Thomas's best friend and he did share a room with Thomas. Right when Reed begins to fall for Josh, she discovers things about his past that not only could hurt their relationship but also be the answers to all of the questions that she has.

Kate Brian does it again in this third installment of the PRIVATE series. UNTOUCHABLE delves deeper into the lives of the students that attend Easton Academy. Who knew a private school could have so many secrets? With another cliffhanger, the only thing the reader can think about is, "why is the next book so far away?"

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

Reed Brennan knew her life would never be the same the second she left her dysfunctional home in Pennsylvania and arrived at Easton Academy. She'd be away from her pill-popping mother, which would give her the opportunity to open up to others and have a normal social life for once. But she had no idea that her new life at Easton would be full of drama and intrigue. It all began when she caught her first glimpse at the fabulous four Billings girls -- Noelle, Arianna, Kiran and Taylor -- and everything changed the moment she became one of them. Reed's hot boyfriend, Thomas Pearson, is dead. The news, though shocking, comes as to no surprise for the student body. He was, after all, a drug dealer and a drunk, but it nevertheless stirred a tidal wave of grief and surprise among Easton Academy. Reed finds it difficult to get on with her life. It seems everything is falling apart around her. Taylor is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Noelle is as enigmatic and controlling as ever, and it seems like the four girls are hiding something from her. The only bright spot in Reed's life is cutie Josh. But how could she move on so soon after Thomas's death? And with his roommate, for crying out loud! Things become intense during Thanksgiving vacation. Twists and turns flow in the story. It appears that Thomas was murdered... and Josh is the prime suspect. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the Billings girls as well. They are hiding something, but what?

The plot has certainly thickened in this unputdownable (not a word, I know) teen series. I find it funny that Reed has gone through so much stuff when she's only been at the Easton Academy for three months. But I am enjoying the wild ride. Arianna's ominous words to Reed, "You are one of us now," in Private, foreshadowed some rather intense drama in store for the heroine. After all, the Billings girls aren't the typical high-privilege girls. Are they simply spoiled girls with nothing better to do other than to cause mayhem around them, or are they the generous and mysterious girls that somehow manage to find themselves in the middle of the aforementioned mayhem? Hmm. There is only one way to find out. I for one dislike Noelle a great deal. She is the most malignant and, at the same time, enigmatic out of three girls -- a control freak -- and I wouldn't put it past her being the puppeteer and mastermind in all the sudden drama in Reed's life. I have purchased Confessions, Inner Circle and Legacy and look forward to reading them. I won't read them all at once though. I will take a break from them and absorb the mounting tension in this riveting YA series. However, it won't be easy to keep myself from reaching out and grabbing the next installment right away. The series is that good! I give it four stars because I wish the books were longer, but the stories themselves deserve five stars. I recommend this series most highly.

Recommended highly by an expert in childhood education, this book delivers on its hype. Real-life examples punctuate the kind of tactics that are helpful in getting kids to realize their potential. Highly recommended for parents looking for the best way to instill good study habits.

I found this book to be the best source of useful tips for helping children develop good study habits. The author obviously knows her stuff and is well experienced. I can recommend this book highly.

I bought this book hoping I would get my children excited about school. It worked! Page after page, real life tips that I could use. No hard to follow jargon or theories; rather the practical guide to improving school experiences for all children. Highly recommended.

My child had been struggling for years in school. I kept on trying ways to get him to improve his habits, but failed. Then a friend recommended this book and I gave it a try (nothing to lose). It's given me the tools to help my child develop the habits he needed to succeed. He's improved immensely. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their child's study habits.

Here is a subject that has fascinated me for years. The development of good study skills is a challenge that is among the toughest of all parenting efforts. It's not easy to know how to react, how to encourage, where to draw the lines, etc. And knowing how to provide the proper direction without alienation is extremely tricky. This book is a godsend -- it reads like a how-to book showing the traps and providing careful, successful means of avoiding them. Without question, I recommend this book to any parent interested in helping children develop better study skills.