Kids Books

I've become an almost compulsive reader about our juvenile justice system and foster care since it seems the vast majority of the students I teach have some contact with at least one. In one school I taught at, at least 70% of the students were either in foster care, group homes or had a juvenile justice caseworker. For many of these kids, their child advocate (CASA is a fantastic organization) was the only person with their best interests at heart.
The more books I read, the more I realize that I'm reading the same thing over and over again, and seeing it in my classroom. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be a whole answer... One answer could be books like this that require the courts, and the system to open up their books so that outsiders can see what is going on. In this book, it seems as if services the children received were better than average, but that may be a perception I have from working in inner city areas where services are going to be less accessible to families in crisis. This book presents a fair, mostly even-handed look at the system, and the issues. It doesn't blame a particular group, but seeks to share the problems with everybody interacting in the system. This is a nice change from the often one-sided books that play the blame game.

I could not put this book down. If you are interested in learning how the system can help, or hinder, this is the book to read.

This book kept me up every night for the past week until I finished it. A fascinating and thoughtful look at the juvenile dependency and delinquency systems, the authors get it right. Told mostly through vignettes of families representative of typical child welfare families, the authors deftly illustrated the complexities of "the system," fairly documenting the strengths and failures. Considering that child welfare is what I've been doing for 5 1/2 years, I wasn't bored with the book or angered at any misrepresentations. Rather, I was pleased to see how well-researched and unbiased the piece was. Further, it reminds me that the complexities are what have kept me in the field so far.

The book is a bit dated -- methamphetamines have overtaken crack cocaine as a drug of choice for most child welfare families, and timelines for reunfiication have shrunk. Further, Monterey County (where I work), at least, has greatly improved how it does sexual abuse forensic interviews. I got a bit bogged down in the delinquency section when it became less vignette-based and more pedanctic, finding that the vignettes were better conveyors of information. Overall, though, this was an outstanding book and one which I will give to my boyfriend and parents to read. Anyone interested in child welfare should read this book for an understanding of a system that will never and cannot be black or white.

This is a textbook of the juvenile dependency system that reads like a page-turner novel. I was unable to put it down for 2 days. The authors' treatment of their material is even-handed and true-to-life. I have worked for the past 4 years as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian Ad Litem for these children in my local juvenile court and the cases featured in the book closely mirror the actual cases I've seen over and over again in the courts. The book raises problems in the system to which there are no easy answers, and the authors don't attempt to offer any simplistic solutions: What does the system do with severely emotionally disturbed kids who blow through one placement after another? How do you know when to give up on parents and terminate parental rights? Do you wait until the child's crucial childhood years are mostly over, waiting for the parents to get their act together? How do we place children in good homes when there is such a shortage of foster and adoptive families? I urge anyone interested to get involved with the system as a volunteer. There are over 700 advocate programs around the country and the minimum time commitment is only 12 hours a month.

I randomly came across this book in the library while looking up something else. I thumbed through it a bit and then ended up checking it out and taking it home, where I have proceeded to read it almost constantly over the last couple of days (with occasional breaks for comparatively less compelling things like eating, sleep, class, and hanging out with friends). I'm always a bookworm and am used to becoming absorbed in what I read. However, this is the first time in quite awhile that I've been so caught up in a book, particularly a non-fiction book.

I like this book so much because the authors worked hard at giving a thorough and unbiased look at the juvenile justice system and the kids stuck in that system. Of course, remaining completely unbiased is impossible; however, they tried to give a variety of points of view. They also tried to keep from vilifying any one group (parents, children, social workers, judges, police, the community, and so on), while still indicating the complexity of the problem. Case-studies were carefully chosen not to be sensational, but rather to exemplify the typical issues dealt with by kids in the justice system. Finally, they interspersed the information from the case studies with general information about the law, the way such cases are usually handled, and so on, then applied this new information that they had given back to the case study. This made it possible to learn a great deal about the system in general, while keeping it interesting because you could see the immediate application to one particular kid that you had learned about. This added to the book's general readability. All in all, this book is an excellent, well-written book that has the possibility of moving us a long way towards an understanding of these complex issues.

I purchased this for my 20 month old grandson. He was delighted with it and learned quickily to push the buttons for himself.

My 7 month old and I read this book every night. He leans over the rocking chair looking for it if I don't read it right away at story time before bed. The pictures are great! The animal sounds are cute! He loves the lift the flap part. We don't use the inside pages where all the animal facts are yet. But, it will be great when he is a little older and wants to learn more than just what a cow says..etc. I am so glad i bought this book! I am thinking of getting the car/truck one as well! Totally worth the money!

The book has nice pictures and photographs, but my 14 months old son broke the circuitry within a few days. The strip is supposed to be glued to the book but somehow, one wire came off, resulting in no sound from the book. The whole strip also came off easily. Other than that, I still think the book is wonderful.

My son is 1.5yrs old and is obsessed with this book. He carries it round and is always looking at the picture and imitating the animal sounds. He knows what animal is in the barn just by the colour of the door. The best purchase I made for christmas.

This farm book is great because it contains real photos of the animals along with decent quality sound that must be activated by your child with a button. The pages expand to include details about each animal that is more for your toddler. The quality of the book binding is also good so it can take a beating from your teething infant.

Like other reviewers, I received this book as a child and pored over every page (and did most of the projects) a hundred times! I'm now in my mid-thirties and will be introducing my kids to this classic. Every page was clearly and simply illustrated, the instructions were easy to follow, and it was just a whole lot of fun. Most of all, it stoked a curiosity and a thirst for this kind of hands-on learning. This is truly an essential title, even (or maybe especially) for people who do not have children of their own - you can be a super-cool aunt/uncle/grandparent/neighbor if you whip this one out and get a fun project started. And don't let the suggested age range fool you - I remember completely loving this book long past eight years old.

Someone gave me this book when I was 8 (I am now 33) and I can remember very well all the cool things it offers. It shows kids how to make those puffy hats the ladies wore in the 1700's (I really liked that), it has sections on handwriting analysis and palmistry and TONS of other really interesting, unique activities for kids. This book begins with the premise that kids are intelligent and do not need to be wowed by a bunch of commercial nonsense to be entertained. I recommend it VERY highly -- your kids will take parts of "Kids' America" with them for the rest of their lives.

My daughter loved the crafts in this book as a fourth grader. Later she used the rope making project for a college speech class demonstration. One of her classmates stopped her after class and asked Sherri to make a rope for her. Next week I'll be using the same craft for MY college speech class demonstration.

I received this as a birthday present when I was 10 years old in 1980, and it was my FAVORITE BOOK. I pored over it hour after hour and was just fascinated by everything in it. I still have that copy (which is completely identical to the one being sold today), and it is the most tattered thing imaginable. A couple years ago I bought another copy simply to have a clean version of it, but I still can't do away with the 25 year old copy I have, simply for the sake of sentimentality. I have now bought well over 10 copies of this and have given one to everyone I know. I give it as a gift to older children (7 and older), and to friends that I have who work with children (nannies/teachers). I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to enjoy this book herself. It is truly one of the best books for children of all time.

I was a little girl growing up in Japan, and took this book out of our school library every week for about three years. I pored over the stories, crafts and fun and loved every minute of it. I hope you love it as much as I did. I was eventually given a copy by a librarian friend of mine, and although it's in rough shape I treasure it!

This book has tremendous scope for young children through their parents. The projects look fun, interesting and challenging.

What a wonderful, ingenious book. I am shocked this book isn't more widely known, particularly in homeschooling circles (at least, the ones I moved in), where the wealth of creative ideas for making construction toys out of common, inexpensive, everyday materials would seem right up most homeschoolers' alleys. These materials can be used to make simple, elegant, and incredibly appealing projects.

There is also an excellent discussion of structures, both in nature and man-made, of buildings, of bridges and towers and so on.

It is all absolutely fascinating and I'm going to plan a class for the spring using this book as the spine.

Well worth the money. An amazing resource.

This book is very detailed and interesting for those kids who like to know how things are constructed. It is a good book for children and parents to look at together and discuss. It also has some cool projects for both to try.

I LOVE this book! I have recommended it to tons of people and have even based some of my DI kids workshops on some of the ideas~ everyone who sees the book cant believe all the great ideas and projects inside it!

I especially like how it repurposes some regular household items.

LOTS of fun!

my son really enjoys this book, he always has something new to show me. this book is great for kids 9 and up.

Thank you very much for having this wonderful book that my studens and I have enjoied so much.
Proud to be your customer any time,
Danelys.

This is an amazing book. I am a children's yoga teacher. This book has changed how I teach. The children love the stories. Their attention is totally on the story. Then when you add yoga to it, it gives the children a chance to embrace and act out the story. I would highly recommend this and Sydney's other book to everyone. You don't have to be a yoga teacher to enjoy this. The art of telling stories has been lost and I'm glad Sydney is bringing it. it is a great way to connect with others.
Sandy

Written for teachers, librarians and yoga instructors, author/yoga instructor Sydney Solis details how yoga is beneficial for young children and how incorporating this ancient spiritual practice into storytelling can help to achieve a deeper level of understanding. The book gives excellent concrete examples of how to deal with real situations that might arise with children including how to maintain control of the class and how to set rules. A class curriculum is outlined including folk tales, their theme, country of origin along with corresponding yoga poses for each character or action. A chapter with black and white photographs and detailed explanations of how to do the various poses is also included.

This is one of the few good yoga books to help teach yoga to children of all ages. It has information on what should happen during the yoga class for different ages of children. It includes stories, songs, games, and ideas to get kids motivated. All my yoga students who are children love the stories and games that come from this book. It has encouraged me to be more free during a children's yoga class.

If you teach children's yoga or want to begin yoga with your children at home then this book is the one to buy. I have structured my class using the recommendations that Sydney Solis gives in the book with warmups and centerings, etc... I have also used all the stories in the book and have went on to use other stories and folk tales I personally enjoy incorporating yoga as I tell the story. My yoga students and my own children thoroughly enjoy each class I teach and I appreciate Storytime Yoga in helping me get started.

The Success of Robert Fitzgibbons is a real delight-an authentic tale in which the ingenuity and subtle humor bring this character to life. The text and clever drawings make readers want to know this boy, Robert Fitzgibbons and his creator, Eric Blank. Through Robert's life lessons, he learns that dreams can be realized at his own pace! Used as a read-aloud or to teach voice and style, this book is a must have for any classroom library.
Jessica Hackett Kilcollum, M.Ed.
Reading Specialist
Upper Moreland School District
Hatboro, PA

Reviewed by Ben Weldon (age 10) for Reader Views (10/07)

"The Success of Robert Fitzgibbons" is the fictional tale of a very good kid who follows the wishes of his parents and people around him and later comes to regret not following his own dreams. Robert was good at sports, won spelling bees, got all A's in school, and always obeyed his parents. One thing Robert really loved was playing his guitar, but he quit when someone told him it would not take him far. He went to college and studied hard because his parents wanted him to. All the while he was wishing he could be playing the guitar in his buddy Ernie's band. As he grew older he began to wish that he had followed his dreams instead of doing what other people said he should do.

This picture book is very pleasing to read because of the rhythm and the rhyme. It is silly and the full-page illustrations are lively, too. I liked how he expressed Robert's feelings of being trapped when he wrote, "I want to jump in a lake or climb up a tree, not spend all day doing geometry." I think most kids can relate to this feeling!

While the purpose of this book is to get the reader to follow his or her dreams, some readers might think that following a dream means doing exactly what you want, whenever you want, ignoring good advice. I think that Robert Fitzgibbons could have followed his dream to play his guitar in a band and gone to college, too. The author does well to encourage the reader to not "march to the beat of someone else's drummer, because not doing what you want makes life a real bummer." I'm not sure if "The Success of Robert Fitzgibbons" is more likely to get kids to follow their dreams or to tell their moms that they aren't going to do any more schoolwork.

Too many of us have had our dreams dashed by the authority figures in our lives. We have been told our dreams are stupid or silly, so we stop pursuing them. Eric helps us to see that we can follow our dreams at any age. This is a great book for building children's self-esteem, which is so needed in today's world. I wish there had been books like this when my children were small.

I have two children (ages 3 and 4) and find there are surprisingly few books that they enjoy listening, I enjoy reading and that have good lessons.

This story let's children (and reminds parents) to let children follow their own dreams versus the expectations of others.

I look forward to future books about Robert Fitzgibbons.

Other favorite books for reference are Ms. Twiggley's Tree House, How the Jester Lost his Jingle, The Gardener, Andrew Henry's Meadow.

My three children recieved signed copies of this book from their favorite aunt, my sister. After reading one of the copies while waiting in the doctor's office I was pleasantly reminded that we need to follow our hearts. The need to remind adults to instill this process in our children is certainly accomplished in this captivating book.

This book covers everything a parent would want to talk and teach a child with AD/HD. It covers even meds., coping skills, ect.. at a child's level. My son loves it! It makes him feel normal.

Fantastic book for kids with ADHD/ ADD. It has really helped in our household and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is easy enough for kids to read and has loads of great chapters - Eating right, Ways to succeed at school, How to make and keep friends etc etc.

It talks about ADHD in a non-confronting way and has been an enormous help. My daughter carries it with her and quotes from it all the time. She has become a little more settled since reading this book and I think she is starting to understand a bit more about why she behaves the way she does.

This book is wonderful for parents to read with their child who is diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. My daughter loves it because it is something she can read by herself and understand about ADD, I think it's an invaluable tool for a parent because it helps me understand about ADD as well. The book has great worksheets throughout that are very helpful for parents to evaluate and see how their children feel and assess themselves. I think this is a great book, especially if you would like to read along with your child or if you have an independent reader who loves to learn.

I have told everyone I know who has an ADHD kid about this book. My DD was recently diagnosed and it was a confusing time. The book clarified everything and normalized the issue for her. It was written simply and clearly and the age range given is perfect. A great resource for kids who are just diagnosed.

I have an interest in all information and ways of informing people about ADHD and The Survival Guide for kids with ADD or ADHD, is not only informative, it is also practical and fun. I support any author who suggests positive ways for parents to interact with their children with or without ADHD. This is a must have for any parent of a child with ADHD.

I am the author of:

One Boy's Struggle: A Memoir: Surviving Life with Undiagnosed ADD

Bryan

I work in public health and struggle to find resources that are useful. This is a great book for everyone. There is no magic pill and there is no easy fix - but there are LOTS of ways to make things worse. Until we have changed our social norms, our environment, and the availability and ease to make healthy choices, it's going to be a long, tough road. This book is a great read that describes what it's like to struggle with weight - good for those of us who are lucky and think our 5-8 pound struggle is horrible, as well as those who struggle with real weight challenges and are ready to hear the painful truth of a child's experience. Well done, Abby.

An honest look at America's obsession with weight loss and how it affects the younger generation. The author, a former fat kid and fat camp survivor (though not a parent, as she acknowledges) explores various ways to lose weight from fat camps to nagging to behavior modification and surgery, among others. Sadly, there is no quick fix or even well-planned diet and exercise program that works for all, or even some. Due both to lack of willpower or incentive, and physical factors beyond the dieter's control, often the weight is lost then gained then lost again.

"Teenage Waistland" lets the young subjects speak for themselves. It is a fascinating look at a controversial subject.

Prepare to laugh, cry and cringe --- but also to learn --- as Abby Ellin leads us through the landscape of obese teen life. First, though, a confession: When I volunteered to read this book, I feared that I was facing a hard, long slog through a dry tome packed with scientific studies on how to help an overweight kid drop a few pounds. Instead, I could barely put down this lively read. Ellin keeps a page-turning pace as she skillfully weaves her own story as a heavy, weight-obsessed teenager through the stories of other such adolescents.

Ellin begins with her own family, who courageously support her by not challenging her right to tell the unvarnished truth about the ways in which her home contributed to her weight problems and food fixations. Interestingly, the family's attitudes toward weight resulted in the author's sister becoming anorexic. Even as Ellin grew larger and larger, her sister began dieting by third grade.

Ellin's grandmother was a major influence on her self-image, withholding affections when Ellin gained weight. On visits to Grandma's house in Florida, Grandma weighed Ellin daily. At home, Ellin's mother obsessed over her own weight, restricted her diet and exercised before stepping on the scales each morning. She taped a photo of an obese woman on the refrigerator door. Both grandmother and mother repeatedly drilled into Ellin and her sister the dangers of gaining weight. As a child, Ellin was devastated when her grandmother told her she couldn't come to Florida for a visit at Christmastime unless she lost 15 pounds. The ploy didn't work. Nothing really did, for many long, sad years.

Ellin spent six years at weight-loss camps. She lost weight but also learned more about dysfunctional eating and how to do it (one counselor sneaked Ellin out to buy a cart full of candy and cookies because "Your body's getting used to the diet. You need sugar to give it a jolt."). In describing her fat camp days, she tells us the story of the owners of weight-loss camps, beginning with her visit as an adult with the man who ran the first weight-loss camp Ellin attended. During her visit, she talks with young campers, giving us the first of many insightful conversations with teens seeking to lose weight. What they say about their parents can make a reader weep.

In TEENAGE WAISTLAND, we learn what has helped teenagers lose weight and, (heartbreakingly) more often, what has either not helped them or made them worse. Experts --- from fat camp leaders to directors of weight loss programs to bariatric surgeons, researchers and fat activists (and more) --- represent a variety of attitudes as each discusses the best way to help heavy adolescents. Ellin compassionately presents suggestions to parents on ways to support an obese child, all based on respect.

Although there is not a single solution to such a complicated problem, reading this book is informative and helpful. It is a horrifying and fascinating study in our culture's warped attitude toward food and weight. Even if you don't have a child with weight issues, TEENAGE WAISTLAND is an engrossing read.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)

This book was extremely helpful to me and my family. As the parent of an overweight child, Abby Ellin's insight as a "former fat kid" is a hands-on "what to do/"what not to do" primer for any parents dealing with these sensitive issues. You're never really sure what to do until you're faced with it head on and Ellin's book showed that it's the sensible approach that makes the most sense. Don't panic; don't over react (as is the most instant impulse). Just act sensibly. Well done!

Simply put, Abby Ellin "gets it". She had a childhood relationship with weight, food, and family that stays with her, regardless of what the scale says today. She candidly tells her story, which isn't always a happy one, but it's often hilarious. When it comes to the "fat kid epidemic", the author doesn't claim to have all the answers, but is very willing to explore a variety of solutions. Teenage Waistland is tragic, eye-opening, humorous and true. Once you read the introduction: Fat Kid Blues - you'll be hooked, just like the author is on Hostess cupcakes!

Easy to learn, fast play, and compact -- play on any flat table. Probably best with 3 or more players but fine with 2. Basically uses the exact same part of your mind as scrabble but has is faster, more intense and also more complex.

The tiles are acceptable but they could be a little nicer. And it would be nice if they gave you a bag for the tiles -- the tube is fairly easy to carry around but a small bag would make this game even easier to bring along on trips.

Lots of fun and well worth having in the house.

Very Fun! If you like word play, try this fun and challenging game. It's compact packaging makes it a great game to take on vacation. My 10 year old daughter thought it was too much thinking for summer time, but the adults and other kids really got into it. It can be played at several levels depending on players sensibilities, from a "learning" mode to cutthroat. I highly recommend it.

I was in an Airport in Vermont waiting for 3 hours for my next flight home when I first played this game! It is perfect to carry around in your bag. IT's light, and tons of fun! It not only makes you think fast, you also have to have fast reflexes to snatch the word! Love this game! It can be played with lots of people or just two!

This game is great -- easy to learn, and moves much faster than scrabble! Much more engaging, as everyone has to pay attention all the time. We gave it to our parents for Christmas, and the family became instant addicts.

This is a clever new word game which is simple yet incredibly addictive. My husband and I play this game almost every night. It is cleverly packaged and takes up little room, so we keep it accessible on the kitchen table and consequently, play often.

It has a simple premise and scoring method, is fun for 2 or more players, and keeps all players involved in the game. It takes little time to play one game, so it's a great option for after dinner. It only takes a game or two for new players to become very competitive with experienced players, and thus is great for mixed groups. Good spelling is a help, as is a good vocabulary, but even those skills are less important than being able to track the words and letters in play and keep possibilities in mind for when the right letter appears. My 17 y/o stepson can routinely beat us, and he's not an avaricious reader as we are, he just sees --and seizes-- the opportunities available.

The game is great fun for all ages and I highly reccomend it.

My 10-year-old granddaughter really liked this book, and wants to read more in the series

This heroic tale will leave you breathless. It will bring love and hope to your heart but don't think that it is this romantic love story just yet. The thrill is out of control! Winnie Willis loves horses just like her mom but ever since the accident Winnie has been trying to find a sense of hope and belonging but it doesn't help when her father has moved Winnie and her sister, Lizzy, ten times in the last year. She doesn't really care much until now. She has a chance to buy the horse of her dreams but where will she ever get the money? On top of that her father announces that they are going to move again. She wants that horse more than anything. Can she talk her father into staying and will she get the money to buy that horse? With as wild as that horse is no one in the town wants to believe she can tame it. Do they just need some faith? That I'm leaving for you to find out.

Out of all the books I've read this is one of the best! Two thumbs way up! You won't stop reading, I couldn't!

-Candice

Winnie Willis is a 12-year-old horse gentler who corrects the behavioral problems of other people's horses. Though Winnie has a way with instinctively understanding what's behind a horse's misbehavior and how to turn these bad habits around with gentle love and care, she sometimes struggles to understand the people in her life.

Winnie, her inventor dad and her younger sister, Lizzy, move around a lot following the death of Winnie and Lizzy's mother. They've now settled in Ohio where Winnie opens her own horse gentling business. With her father's inventions littering the yard and the house, and her sister's fondness for lizards and unusual cooking skills, Winnie finds herself comforted through her interactions with the horses placed under her care.

Each of Winnie's adventures involves fun-loving, comical characters (both animals and humans) with life lessons interjected along the way. Her stories offer practical tidbits of real-life horse training know-how as well as subtle pointers on how God and spirituality impact everyday circumstances in powerful ways.

--- Written by Michele Howe

I borrowed this book from the library, and I loved it so much I bought it the next day! They're perfect with God, AND horse combined.I now have all 8 bookes in the series, and I love them so much that I don't read any thing else.I bet it took a big imagination to create such uniqe caracters as Catman and Barker.I would recomend these books to ANYONE!

I adore this book! I was hooked after I read it for the first time. I've read every one in the series, and can't wait until she writes more. This book has 3 very important ingredients to make a good book: God, family, and horses!
You've gotta read this book!!