Kids Books

If you want a book abuot mystery this is the book for you. It is very funny and interesting. There are some very funny characters and scary ones too. There is a new counselor in town. The kids think he is very scary. I find this book very interesting.
There was a kid so scared of the counseoer he wore a scarf all up arond his neck. Two days later they found the counsler go into Mrs.Jeepers basment.Then the next day at school the principal told the kids the counsler had to leave. Then he said he had to fly. So they know it must mean something. They also remembered that his hands were cold.

Do you like mysteries because you will like this one! The name of the book is Dracula Doesn`t Drink Lemonade. The author is Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones. The characters are Liza, Melody, Eddie, Ben, Huey, Howie, Mr.Drake, and Principal Davis. The mystery takes place at Bailey School. Liza and Melody really told Ben to stop fighting with Huey. What partly happens is their principal tells them to go to the nurse's office. Liza and Melody are in shock because Ben is faking he is sick! Do you think Mr.Drake is really a Dracula? Do you think Mr. Drake really pushed Ben? Read the book to find out.

There are some weird grownups in Bailey City. But Could the new guidance counselor really be Dracula, the famous vampire. The Bailey School Kids are going to find out!

Strange occurrences and weird adults are nothing new (really) to the 3rd grade of Bailey Elementary School. However, when the thirsty new school counselor shows up with pale skin, pointed teeth and a CAPE, the gang gets nervous. Could this be the famous Dracula come to their school?? He DOES like to sit in the dark in his office and most of the gang thinks their own teacher is a vampire!!

But, would a vampire-especially one as famous and ancient as Dracula himself-drink pink lemonade?? The gang is about to find out!!

This marks the 16th installment in the Bailey School Kids series, and is definitely one of the more creepy books in the series. Having a vampire for a teacher is bad enough, but having TWO in your school is asking for trouble! Especially if one is the most famous vampire in the world with an unquenchable thirst!

Of course, the books are all written with the possibility that the supernatural creatures (vampires, genies, ghosts and even a few aliens and a pirate) could be nothing more than eccentric people. Of course, it's hard to believe it, and that's where the series' appeal comes from.

Like other Bailey Kids books, "Dracula Doesn't..." is a quick read for advanced readers and adults. It is also a very good choice for beginning/intermediate readers who are looking for something silly and fun. A number of reluctant readers have decided that reading actually CAN be fun after picking up one of the books in this series (there's currently over 40 of them, at last count). It isn't necessary to begin with #1 and progress to the end, for each stand easily by themselves, though there are characters that appear in more than one book.

All in all, it's a fun series and as a reading teacher I've found myself hooked on these things and will likely wind up reading (and reviewing) the whole series. Get one yourself and see if you don't enjoy following along with the gang!

I first discovered The Dreamland Chronicles online, read through the archives, and was captivated. This series has the holy trinity of graphic novels: wonderful art work, engaging characters, and a solid story. The book does a good job of putting pages designed on a computer screen into print. If I have one complaint, it's that I'd like it in a larger size. On the other hand, it's portable and I don't have to wait for pages to download when I read through it.

I haven't run across anything quite like this anywhere else, and I highly recommend it. I only hope Scott Christian Sava can survive the success he so dearly deserves for this effort.

This is more than a comic. The characters are three dimensional; we watch them grow up. The art is astounding, and the plot is rich. This is a comic the whole family will love.

I have never been a huge fan of comics, but this one has changed my mind. Not only are the characters dynamic and fun, but the graphic quality is amazing. This story is good for young and old, and I can't wait to share it in print with friends. If you love epic stories don't miss out on this one!

The Dreamland Chronicles: Book One is a fun and entertaining all-ages tale that posits the existence of a magical world of fantastic creatures, visited by children in their dreams. Alexander Carter used to visit every night as a child, and upon waking, would tell his twin brother, Dan, of his adventures, who would write them down and eventually be inspired to become a writer. Now college roommates, Alexander returns to Dreamland after nearly eight years of not dreaming, only to discover he is destined to play a part in the upcoming war between Dreamland and the Nightmare Realm.

Scott Christian Sava has once again created an excellent cast of characters -- Paddington Rumblebottom III, the adorable dancing rock giant, is my favorite -- and deftly balances the two worlds by crafting a realistic relationship between the two brothers that is equal in dramatic weight to the more fantastic elements of Dreamland. As the story reeled me in, I warmed up to the CGI artwork and was eventually able to appreciate its dexterity, as the impressive team of computer artists Sava assembled not only offer distinctive character designs and settings, but manage to communicate emotion surprisingly well. Sava helps by taking full advantage of his nearly 300 pages, pacing the story in a way that allows it to breathe without feeling decompressed. The extras include a look at some of his original painted pages as well as an assortment of character models and page layouts that give the book the feel of a big-budget CGI movie.

Highly recommended for fantasy fans young and old!

Why is this book so timely and necessary for parents, teachers, all of us right now ? These are my reasons. IT'S NEVER TOO SOON TO INTERVENE BUT OFTEN TOO LATE !
Lets all get real ! Think ! Most of us in this culture believe in the idea that A PERSON WAS HEALTHY UNTIL DIAGNOSED WITH (lets say) CANCER ! How unfortunate. How sad that even today this is so. Cancer is an accumulation of years, decades of mutation, promotion and progression within cells. Undoubtably, the vast majority of tragic health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, etc. are cumulative processes, that over the years, decades destroy and change the body's natural balancing mechanism, until... well until a real reversal, any real hope of cure is frankly impossible. Clearly, today in 2007, we are sure that "Poor nutrition is one of the most frequent reasons that the immune system malfunctions." Poor to extremly poor nutrition is a daily norm in the majority of households in our culture. There is an un-arguable cause and effect relationship between nutrition, immunity and cancer ! (surely other diseases as well) Why are we so suprised at the accelerated growth in numbers of these serious diseases over the last two decades ?

This is a huge issue, with enormously powerful business interests lined up weighing in on the other side. ( What is this "other side"? It's those powerhouses that are profiting immesurably from and control our industrial food supply production, the marketing and media, the distribution and the franchising. After some time when the consequences of the consumption of such foods assert themselves as they lawfully will, those same powerhouses supply the pharmaceutical products and finally surgical invasive procedures and the facilities to temporarily relieve the symptoms only, so that we can continue to be consumers to them a little longer.)

What are we doing ? How can we continue to tolerate it ? We must THINK CRITICALLY, and have much more doubt, suspicion and less automatic acceptance and belief on this issue. The issue of EATING SMARTER.
World wide, medical professionals working closely with cancer diagnosis and treatment feel that up to 80% of cancer includes poor nutrition as a significant factor. Is it news to anyone that we live in an enviroment which is not conducive to optimum health promotion, with pollution of our air and water, the adulteration of our food and the additional disharmony of the chronic tensions in us, induced by our present social, political and economic cultural life ? These factors individually are known to have cancer causing properties, but with the sum of it all weighing on us daily, shouldn't we do what we can; where we can ? In re-THINKING our food choices as suppliers of vitally needed nutritions for our life, essential elements for our health, energy, for clear mind and heart and yes therefore happiness, we make the first and most significant step in the right direction.
Only a few people really believe in and act on, prevention ! Let's hope that the number of those few believers grows and inspires the world with much more than just hope, but with "this new knowledge", so that all can benefit ! I know this author. This is the deep knowledge and wisdom gained from her own challenges, that this author shares with us on this most important subject at hand. She has truly helped a very large number of seriously suffering people over many years. This book is for little kids and big kids. Lets always remember that it is NEVER TOO SOON TO INTERVENE BUT OFTEN TOO LATE !

It is so sad to see kids eating junk food and being overwieght-this cookbook has ALL the info for feeding your kids the right way and keeping them fit and healthy. Kudos to Dale Figtree fr writing such an insightful and helpful book!

Eat Smarter makes it a lot easier to understand food and why it's important to eat smarter and make better choices. The comic book that comes with this book is very cool and funny and I learned more about food then I ever knew or was taught in school. The recipes look like healthy food can also taste good. This book makes me ready to try a new way.

This is an interesting diet book with two parts. The first part contains information to educate parents to help their kids to lose weight, and it contains lots of ideas and good recipes. The recipes are separate by breakfast, lunch, dinner and treats. They are easy to use and delicious enough to get your kids to eat those (e.g. Baked French Fries, Polenta Pizza, guacamole and even banana ice cream)
The second part is a separate color comic book so the kids can read it by themselves.
If you have overweight kids, you know the last thing your kids want is to hear you talk about their weight. The comic book is a good idea to educate your kids about food choice without harassing them all the time.

Believe it or not children's drawings end up looking much like Ed Emberley's. Line by line and shape by shape the Halloween related objects take form. Our other family favorite was Emberley's "Big Red Drawing Book". Absolutely love these books!

All of Emberley's books are wonderful. The Big Orange Drawing book specializes in things that are orange so a lot of it is Halloween themed. I loved working through these books as a child and still have some of the Halloween decorations I made from this book.

I am a 21 year-old artist. I forgot all about Ed Emberley until a couple of weeks ago. Emberley was my first artistic inspiration and I developed an interest in art through the direction of his variety of juvenile instructional books. I highly recommend these books to any children who express an interest in art. His series of books are EXTREMELY simply to understand and children at any age can grasp his artistic expertise.

This book is from a series of 4 books from Emberly are the easiest books on drawing there are, period. Anyone young or old can learn to draw some great critters and vehicles from these books. ANYONE! These are a great first step. All of his Big Color books are great, (They are a series, each named after a color). Famous for the easy way it shows you how to draw step by step, what appears to be a complex Haunted House, but it is simple when you do it his way. This book includes a number of fun ideas including robots, tiger, military ships, Halloween holiday drawings, and more. He even shows you how to make yours unique rather than a copy of his drawings. You can be the doodle hero of your classroom or office after using this book. He does it simply using very simple steps, lines, and basic shapes to start you off. My favorite in the series would be the Purple Book, because I am partial to the pirate ship instructions.

If you want to move up from here and learn the terminology of what you are doing, and really become an accomplished artist, the next step after these are the terrific books by "Jack Hamm".

If you just want to have some fun, get this book!

Every year as the holidays approached my daughter requested this book from the library. Ed Emberley's books are still the best books for easy step-by-step drawing instructions - simple lines and shapes accumulate into a satisfying whole. My son rarely picked up a drawing utensil, but he'd be down on the floor, right beside his sister drawing away - satisfied and rarely frustrated. Emberley's "Big Orange Book" also recieved a lot of use in our house around Halloween.

Ed's books on thumbprints...and simplier drawing books would probably be considered the *first* steps while i would consider this the *first and a half* step... there are more complex (more steps to some pictures) drawings... there are still pretty easy ones and if this isnt your shilds first book and they are at a stage where they are ready for something a bit more challenging this would be a good second line of art books.. it still is writtne in the same way and there are still easy easy things to draw BUT for those wishing to increase their skill/hardness level..there are pictures with more steps. the pictures are still broken down into easy to follow steps and it is STILL much easier and more understandable than most art books out there for kids... and there are so many things to choose from!

This book is from a series of 4 books from Emberly are the easiest books on drawing there are, period. Anyone young or old can learn to draw some great critters and vehicles from these books. ANYONE! All of his Big Color books are great, (They are a series, each named after a color). This one is famous for the easy way it shows you how to draw step by step, what appears to be a complex fire engine, but it is simple when you do it his way. THis book includes a number of fun ideas including Uncle Sam, police cars, ships and boats, Christmas holiday drawings. He even shows you how to make yours unique rather than a copy of his drawings. You can be the doodle hero of your classroom or office after using this book. He does it simply using very simple steps, lines, and basic shapes to start you off. My favorite in the series would be the Purple Book or the Green Book, then Orange, then the Red Book.

If you want to move up from here and learn the terminology of what you are doing, and really become an accomplished artist, the next step after these are the terrific books by Jack Hamm. If you just want to have some fun, get this book!

I think now we have all the Emberly drawing books and this one is far-and-away the toughest. Ed's son Michael, in particular, favors more complex drawings that will be harder for the youngsters to emulate, though older kids will probably appreciate the step-up after mastering the other books. (Even Ed's stuff largely seems tougher.)

Also, just so you know, this isn't a "red" drawing book like the green and orange: a wider variety of colors is used, and more subtly than in any of the other books, even the Animals book (which also uses color, but not to this degree).

I'd still recommend it, but more for 7 - 10 year olds.

A wonderful book. This exciting story kept me turning pages. It makes you feel like you have taken a time machine back to the days when ordinary girls and boys were becoming heroes as they helped to create our nation...destined to become a children's classic.

Readers will be caught up in this accurate portrayal of a young girl and her family as they live the heartbreak, confusion and strife of Revolutionary War times. The author creates a dramatic story filled with historical events that enables us to relive a moment in our United States history.

This book is not an attempt to sell dolls. This book does not follow a script making it sound like there has been only one girl in all of American history born over and over. It is an exciting adventure filled with danger. It is also painstakingly researched. The details presented are accurate. Learn what it was like being a young person during the revolutionary war. Follow Anne Brewster on her perilous mission.

Interestingly enough, as our country is being torn in two by red and blue states, this story of Loyalists to King George and Rebels for Freedom hits close to home. I don't think that is the story's intent. Just my added observation.

Teachers and young history buffs, buy this book. For anyone who wonders what it might have been like to live through the American Revolutionary War, EIGHTEEN ROSES RED delivers a rich, yet terrifying account of events through the eyes of a young girl. Loaded with details true to the times, Ruth Maxwell's novel takes us along with 13-year-old Anne Brewster as she attempts to deliver a coded message to General George Washington, camped in the hills around New Brunswick. On the way, facing setback after setback, Anne wrestles with family sorrows, romantic yearnings, true danger and grown-up determination.

Visiting the front lines of the grammar and usage wars with Bill Walsh is a pleasure for writers and readers alike. Like his previous work, Lapsing Into a Comma, this entertaining and enlightening book shows Walsh has got a great ear and a great sense of humor.

By Bill Marsano. What a jolly season for word-lovers this is, what with Lynn Truss's "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" and this book by Bill Walsh coming along neck-and-neck and cheek-by-jowl. Walsh, who is the copy chief of the Washington Post, has written a far broader work than Truss's, with punctuation just one of the things covered (and usually very well covered). There's also grammar here and more important there is style.

The author of such a book sets himself up, always. Many readers will assume or claim that he's preaching perfection and will therefore fall upon tiny errors yelling nyah-nyah in spiteful disvalidation of his whole work, of his very right to speak at all. Sorry but, admirable as it may be, prefection eludes and always will (Lynn Truss's first error is in her subtitle!). Mark Twain said, of perfection in English grammar, "the thing just can't be done." So let's be willing to give a little, and even accept the odd contradiction.

That done, we find a pretty useful guide. It's mostly newspaper-oriented, but it's still a help to the ordinary writer and ordinary person struggling to commit a sentence and finding between the opening capital and the closing period a morass of weird plurals, nightmare collectives, number-of-the-verb, stylistic conventions, punctuational deadfalls and a lot of other horrors that make not ending with a preposition a treat (which taboo is, by the way, nonsense, as Walsh neatly explains). Walsh deals with most problems briskly and helpfully, and if you keep this book ever close to your heart it won't be long before you can toss off elegant vanity plates, bumperstickers and ransom notes without so much as a by-your-leave. And you will begin to enjoy doing so, because you won't be scared out of your wits half the time. (Most people dread writing as they dread public speaking.)

I am generally dubious of copy editors; I consider them a species of vermin that should be hunted for sport. But I will go a long way with Walsh because he clearly thinks about the language and tries to make intelligent, workable decisions that help reader and writer alike. (Most copy editors simply trot out their pet peeves and hobby-horses, salt with ignorance and prejudice, and then damage the writer's copy, the hideous effects invisible until the crime appears in print.)

I will unyieldingly dispute with him on two points, however. First, (free-lance) writers should absolutely not waste any time studying client magazines to learn their style. Magazines routinely pay writers poorly and abuse them in general; if they want their stylebooks followed, let the editors do some work for a change. (Editors don't have jobs. They have lunch.) Second, what's this foolishness about a ship being referred to as "it"?

That's an example of what offends me most about copy editors: their char-woman's mentality. Always trying to neaten up; emptying the ashtray every time the ash hits the glass; making you move so they can plump up the pillows. Busy, busy, busy! The net result of all this is damage to a language of which varioty is its chiefest glory. Referring to ships as feminine is a tradition many centuries old: it goes back to the Romans; it is established and understood; it is not to be dismissed by some petty tyrant with an itchy pencil. Maybe it's a question of political correctness. Maybe someone is pained because it excludes an entire sex (the male, I believe). Frankly I'm disinclined to believe that this will cause little boys everywhere to be discouranged from becoming ocean liners, but copy editors might very well fall for that.--Bill Marsano is a professional writer and editor.

I found myself laughing out loud as I read Bill Walsh's "The Elephant's of Style."

Reminiscent of "Woe is I" this title actually entertains as it enlightens. Some of Walsh's best lines were "Split infinitives are the chicken cacciatore of the English Language" and "Who died and left me in charge of the English language?"

I want to know where Bill Walsh was when I was being drilled in grammar back in school! First they started teaching kids phonics and blends using fun songs and hand motions and now this?! I missed out on all the fun!

I especially enjoyed the section entitled "The Lies Your English Teacher Told You: Big Myths of English Usage" (I actually wiped my brow at one point in that chapter.) His appendix, "The Curmudgeon's Stylebook" is a valuable addition as well.

Wonderful stuff, easy to remember and apply.... Excellent for those who got stuck in the "grammar rules" and "strict critiques" from the past.... Free up the negative through process and just get through to the mechanics in this user friendly guide. The index will take you straight to your area of interest and then read the rest just `cause its so darn fun...... oh, I wonder if it's against the rules to insert periods in a row like that?

Better refer to my copy of "Elephants of Style" now.....

Almost nothing is as boring as learning the rules of grammar.
The Elephants of Style, however, makes the subject humorous and easier to both read and learn about. The author uses great(and often funny ) examples to teach students about everything from parts of speech to plagarism. I would recommend this book to college freshman, English teachers, or anyone struggling with grammar.
Of course, grammar may never lose the title of "boringest of them all," but at least there is a little humor at the end of the tunnel.

My 2 year old son loves all the Elliot Moose and friend's stories (since we started reading them to him when he was a few months old). He loves to have us read them to him over and over. Recently, he started "reading" them to us! Elliot is such a loving character, that has fun adventures with his friends. These books also have wonderful illustrations we use to teach our son, and have him point out things he knows and learn new words.

"Elliot's Bath" is an Elliot Moose story in which the little moose takes a bath for the very first time.


It all happens when Elliot and his friend Socks are preparing for a talent show. They end up spilling paint on themselves and don't know what to do about it. But their friend Paisley does --- it's time for their first-ever bath!

Elliot and Socks have a lot of fun in their bath, but then find themselves in a troublesome situation. Being the furry, fuzzy creatures that they are, they've become completely waterlogged! How will they get out of this?

The illustrations are war and cute and full-page on every other page. The characters look rather like stuffed animals. This is a great story for before bathtime, or for Elliot Moose fans. The only possible danger I can think of is that it might cause kids to get scared to go in the bath. But I also think it teaches that with the help of someone else, there's nothing ever to worry about when it comes to a bath.

I tell stories at the local library and I am in training for being a preschool teacher. This book is a great story about bathtime for stuffed creatures and their special concerns. It is quite imaginative. The illustrations are very colorful and the characters will warm the hearts of reader of all ages. The characters all work together to solve a problem. It shows good thinking and reasoning skills that young children can see themselves doing as well. It was a joy to read.

This is one of those sweet, simple stories that infants and toddlers will enjoy. It's populated by a friendly ensemble incuding the titular Elliot, his sock monkey pal, "Socks," and minor characters "Paisley" the cat, and "Beaverton," a resourceful beaver. The adventure begins as the four stuffed animals get the stage ready for a big alent show that night. Socks accidently spills some blue paint on Elliot and herself.

"'What are we going to do?' cried Socks. 'You need a bath!' said Paisley. A bath? Elliot had been damp before. He'd even had his paws in the pond. But he'd never had a bath. 'That sounds like fun!' he said with a grin."

With everyone lending a paw, the bath goes very well. The animals constantly smile, the water is just right, and there's no fear of going out the drain. The problem is almost the opposite: The water-saturated animals aren't able to exit the bathtub until Beaverton fishes out the stuck plug.

One more dilemma await Elliot and Socks in this gentle drama--how to dry two thoroughly soaked stuffed animals. Your little one might enjoy talking this one out loud with your audience, and seeing the various solutions proposed by the four furry friends. Although the closing is a little weak (Elliot and Socks--now colored purple from the paint, although he rather likes his new color draw applause at the talent show), young kids will enjoy the comaraderie, Elliot's discovery that he has fun in the sink bath, and the creative problem-solving.

This positive approach may help wee ones overcome any fears about bathing. However, I wonder if showing just a little more hesitation and anxiety from Elliot might have created a more realistic, and therefore more identifiable situation. If a first bath doesn't go as well for your little one as it did for the moose and the monkey, will he or she reject the book's promise of splashy fun? Still, the problems faced and surmounted by the stuffed animals model a confidence and "can-do" approach that can apply to bathing and other new activities. Moreover, there is enough characterization and suspence that the book stands on its own, whether or not you have a bathtime problem. That quality makes "Elliot's Bath" stand out from other "issue-oriented" books centered around some developmental challenge.

Andrea Beck's bright, varied colors, and her richly textured animal portraits provide an exciting, yet very safe and cuddly setting. Her appealing animals hint at her background; she studied at the Ontario College of Art, and founded a plush toy company! This is Beck's fourth "Elliot" picture book.

My 2 year old son loves all the Elliot Moose and friend's stories (since we started reading them to him when he was a few months old). He loves to have us read them to him over and over. Recently, he started "reading" them to us! Elliot is such a loving character, that has fun adventures with his friends. These books also have wonderful illustrations we use to teach our son, and have him point out things he knows and learn new words.

And it's a winner!

In this story, Elliot finds himself in a bad situation. Being the plush toy that he is, it's easy for him to get snagged. And that's exactly what happens and he starts losing stuffing. Like in other later Elliot Moose stories, his many friends work together to help him out.

Elliot gets sad. He's a bit afraid to cry at first, but eventually lets it out. He shows that it's okay to express your feelings. And in the end, things work out okay.

This is a wonderful and touching book. My son, Elliott, is especially fond of it. I highly recommend this book for kids of all ages. It shows the value of teamwork and being sensitive to the needs of others.

This book was an immediate favorite with my 4-year-old son. The story has characters faced with a dilemma and it is both touching and charming to see how the crisis is resolved.

This is a wonderful collection of essays that actually read like short stories. The editor has done an excellent job ensuring variety of tales, consistently high quality writing, and engaging stories for many parents. No essay is more than 6 to 8 pages in length. Each is created by highly talented writers with very witty, insightful, and moving personal stories to share. It took me a year to open the book after it was gifted to me by sweet Winnie, mostly because I was dealing with my own transitions as my own daughter was leaving the nest. Many of the writers wrote their stories years after their nests were emptied, giving them the wisdom of hindsight that is so well infused in their writing. Great great stories. Don't miss them!

As a parent who actually raised kids in a real nest, I can identify better than most with the empty nest syndrome, that feeling of emptiness and loss when the kids finally leave to set up their own nests, or homes.

We all know it's coming. From the day they're hatched, or born, we know that our job is to prepare them to face the world on their own, and our lives end up taking a back seat to theirs. So when that day comes, whether they're going off to school, or war, or prison, or moving out, or becoming transcendental beings of pure energy, we feel a seething mix of conflicted emotions, including joy and sadness; relief and worry; pride and loss; gumption and envy; and indifference and mania, among others.

The 31 essays in "The Empty Nest: 31 Parents Tell the Truth About Relationships, Love, and Freedom After the Kids Fly the Coop" let you relive those feelings and share in the community of parents who have all gone through the separation process, well, except for those parents who still have adult children living with them. Stabiner, the editor of this wonderful collection, provides her own story of letting go of her daughter as she hung precariously over the cliff's edge... of life.

"The Empty Nest" mixes the accounts of accomplished writers with those of unknowns, providing a wide range of experiences with the balance toward the mother's perspective, although fathers also have their say and even one non-parent, Harry Shearer, who I suppose has always had an empty nest but nonetheless manages to bring a perspective on children that both parents and non-parents can appreciate.

Will you find humor in these essays? Plenty. Heartbreak? Check. Moments of simple poignancy? Of course. Surprising insight coming from a candid reflection on the vicissitudes of life? Yep. The only thing you won't find is a false note or bloody ninja battles--which you might have gotten if Stabiner had asked a ninja parent, but wisely didn't.

It's not all good times, however, as some parents admit to uncovering strains in the relationship that were suppressed by the presence of kids, and others who find the loss of the parental identity so disorienting that they feel adrift in the sea of people with identities. But the writers of these essays show their resiliency as they cope with the new struggles and freedom from not having to constantly put worms in their young'uns' mouths.

So who should read "The Empty Nest"? Parents whose kids have moved on? Yes. Parents whose kids still roost at home? Couldn't hurt. Singletons who are curious to know what it feels like to depart with kids they will never have? Sure, why not. Kids who have left the nest? Might give a better understanding of what the folks are going through. Kids who have yet to leave the nest? Might give you a leg up on your folk's future emotional state the better to manipulate them. Kids who can't yet read? Probably a waste of time. The rest of humanity? Yes! What finer metaphor for the human condition could there be than that moment when you say good-bye to the kids knowing you've done your part to continue the species, assuming anyone would want to mate with those neurotic, clingy, unstable people who once made your life an interminable nightmare?

My son will not be going off to college for another year, but he went to a 3 week program "far away" at the beginning of the summer, and this book's title appealed to me. I've since sent it to two friends in similar situations, and it's quite the hit. The various writers examine all aspects of the empty nest experience, and present all kinds of emotional responses. Reading this made me feel anything but empty. It's fantastic, encouraging and uplifting.

The strength of family relationships is as American as baseball and apple pie. And Karen Stabiner has assembled an extraordinary collection of essays that would pull at the heartstrings of even the most stoic of us. These stories of transition, told by parents facing the empty nest, resonated at many levels. From the son who pushed his Mom away so he would be free to individuate to the daughter for whom it was too painful to move away from home, this engaging book provides something for just about everyone.

The authors, writing about both their practical and emotional concerns, put the reader directly in the moment and into their process of separation from their children. For me it was a reminder of that chapter of my life - and of how much our relationships have changed, once again, now that our children are married with families of their own. Besides being extremely entertaining, this book normalized my feelings and validated my experience of that time of life.

Storytelling is really the best teacher. Humor and wisdom, pathos and advice were sprinkled throughout the essays. Short stories often leave me flat, ending before they go deep enough. But not these. As a collection, they manage to say it all. If you're a Baby Boomer parent, getting over the sadness of separation and enjoying being truly free for the first time in years, don't get too comfortable. Before too long, your emerging adult children could be boomeranging back home.