Home and Family Books

This precious children's book not only teaches about families and their important differences but is a great story about adoption. Momma Rabbit has three children--whom she loves the same--one baby was born to her and two joined the family through adoption, (one is a mouse and one is a duckling).."but momma rabbit is their momma just the same." They celebrate their differences while also enjoying their similarities. Most importantly, they are a FAMILY!

Anita Jeram's "All Together Now" tells the story of the Honeys and how they became a family. The story starts with Mommy Rabbit leading her children in singing their family song. The children all have their own special parts to sing, because each child is different. You see, the "children" are Bunny, Little Duckling and Miss Mouse. Bunny was Mommy Rabbit's first child. One day, Little Duckling hatched from his egg, followed Bunny home and became the second child in the Honey family. Later, Bunny and Little Duckling found Miss Mouse all alone and Mommy Rabbit quickly welcomed her into the family, too.

The bond between all the members of the Honey family is reflected in Jeram's watercolor illustrations. You see them singing together, playing together and sharing loving moments. You see the tenderness and affection Mommy Rabbit feels for each of her little Honeys.

"All Together Now" is a sweet tribute to adopted children and their families. All the little Honeys have their own special qualities, which they celebrate in their family song. All the little Honeys have their own strengths, which they celebrate in their special family games. All the little Honeys look different, but know "Mommy Rabbit's still my mommy just the same."

What was it like to grow up in an orphanage? Where did kids sleep, and what was daily life like? Catherine Reef's Alone In The World: Orphans And Orphanages In America is the first book devoted solely to orphan history, culture, attitudes, and lifestyle. First-hand accounts blend with over seventy archival photos and prints to accompany a history of the institutions that grew to address the needs of orphans, from asylum children to solder's orphans. A unique social history recommended for grades 4-6.

What was it like to grow up in an orphanage? Where did kids sleep, and what was daily life like? Catherine Reef's Alone In The World: Orphans And Orphanages In America is the first book devoted solely to orphan history, culture, attitudes, and lifestyle. First-hand accounts blend with over seventy archival photos and prints to accompany a history of the institutions that grew to address the needs of orphans, from asylum children to solder's orphans. A unique social history recommended for grades 4-6.

This is the end-all manual for dealing with the "little details" of death. Chapters on the unexpected death, preparing for an upcoming death or pre-planning to save your loved ones unnecessary hardship are concise and complete. The author takes a direct approach with his funeral workbooks. The information on pricing, purchasing and comparing coffins is a must for all of us who don't wish to be ripped off in our grief. We all will need this book someday.

If you know nothing about Alzheimer's, and you're afraid to tackle the medical tomes...this is the book to start with. A short, to the point paperback that takes you through an understandable definition of the disease and the first steps you need to take for your loved on. The basics on caregiving are outlined, and how to get help including deciding on and choosing a nursing home. The author is a former director of an ALzheimer's research foundation and his extensive knowledge shows.

I discovered this only because my youngest cousin, who goes to Harvard, read it in a course and came home insisting that I read it too. I take a strong interest in my ancestry (I'm Italian American, the grandson of immigrants) and this book hit me right between the eyes. It is one man's search for the meaning of his ethnicity and all the goodness that comes with it, before it all slips away. Tonelli writes in a funny, quirky, totally absorbing style that's never dry or ponderous. But he's writing about some of the most deeply meaningful, even sometimes sad aspects of being part of a genuine community in a time when community in American seems (to me) to be on the wane. This is the kind of book that could (and should) have become a minor classic of literary nonfiction, and also a book that every ethnic American would want to read, but I gather it did not back in '94 when it came out. But if you can find a copy today, grab it fast and get ready for a thrill.

Spett.le Redazione, Questo Ente desidera entrare in contatto con lo scrittore Statunitense di origini italiane Bill TONELLI. Mr. Bill TONELLI h radattore di Esquire ed autore de "La sorprendente storia della Famiglia TONELLI in America ". Il volume citato dovrebbe essere stato pubblicato dalla Casa editrice americana"PERSEUS BOOKS ". La ricerca del contatto con lo scrittore h tesa ad uno scambio culturale da realizzare prossimamente. Lo scrittore Bill TONELLI ha antenati provenienti dall'Italia, piu' particolarmente dal nostro paese, Nereto. Qualsiasi informazione sullo scrittore Bill TONELLI h gradita alla e - mail: comunenereto@itol.it oppure al numero di telefono 0861 / 855779 ove h sempre disponibile il Dott. Lucio ADDARII che sta curando la pratica riguardante lo scrittore italoamericano. Con l'occasione, distinti saluti. Lucio ADDARII

Whilst writing my tome on Sears Homes, I kept Clark's book close at hand as a resource. Years earlier, I'd read it cover to cover and just loved it. "The American Family Home" is written by a college professor but it's a warm, conversational and fascinating read. Lacks the dry-as-dust technical, clunky language that some architectural writers seem to relish (and employ!).

What I love most about his book is that he explains HOW and WHY American architecture evolved the way that it did. He explains (in delicious and interesting depth) why the early-1900s bungalow was actually a specific response to the ostentatious and ornate Victorians of the late 1800s.

This book was well-researched and well written. I highly recommend it, both as an entertaining book and a wonderful resource to help you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of America's architecture.

Rose Thornton
author, The Houses That Sears Built

Few books, in my experience are written as clearly as this one. Clark leads the reader carefully and thoughtfully from 1800 to 1960, and shows why certain styles of home were popular in each era. His word choice is excellent and his sentence formation is flawless. He gives many examples and the book is well illustrated. For anyone wishing to understand why Americans have bought and built the houses they have, and what they hoped to get out of them, this is the book to buy. Get two.

This is one of my favorite books. I look at it often and it has inspired me to take more family pictures and document our daily lives. This is a book about the love of a family through pictures and stories. It includes holidays, recipes, gardening tips, and more. Even though the style of decorating may not be my own, I still love the absolute warmth of this book. The warmth of family.

I just love this book. Mary put her heart into this book & the love for her family ...it reflects in every page. The applesauce with plums is fantastic! In the pages of this book you will see awesome pictures that show the true essence on family and there love of home & what is important to them. If you ever get a chance to buy a copy of this book now that it is now out of print -you will be rewarded with joy in seeing the heart of a family. ENJOY & let the pages of this book rub off on you in how you look at life & family.

Angels in the Dust is a beautifully written book about life during the Dust Bowl. The story is touching and Margot Theis Raven has a true talent of writing. The illustrations are breathtaking!!!

This is a wonderfully written book. The story is touching. The language is expressive and descriptive. The illustrations are vivid and add much to the story. This was a great book to read aloud. It can give students a taste of life in a different time and place. Wonderful!

M's Molina has put together a fantastic book on the art of thread crochet bears. I don't even work with thread that much, but this book has me reconsidering that philosophy. The panda bear is just calling to me to be crocheted, as well as the polar bear.
M's Molina's instructions are clear and concise. The patterns get progressively more difficult, but you can stick to the "easy ones" and still be quite happy with the outcome.
I recommend this book highly to all who are interested in making teddy bears, especially thread teddy bears.

The first two are very easy: the bears have straight arms and legs. The next two have bent arms, and the last two are a little more complicated. Each of these patterns will add to your knowledge and enjoyment of the art of thread teddy bears. The instructions are easy to follow, each pattern has a diagram to assemble the bear and color photographs of the finished bear.

This book explores the often unnoticed side of being a so-called 'normal' (or 'neurotypical') person who loves someone with a mental disorder, namely autism. I found this memoir refreshing in the way that it unapologetically gives voice to those of us on the other side of the coin--those of us who have done our best to stretch our love outside of the box by often putting our own needs on hold to be good family. This book will especially appeal to baby boomers who have grown up with autistic siblings during a time when the disorder was still unnamed, as it addresses the historically inaccurate 'parental blame' theory of the disorder's etiology. I would recommend this book to anyone who has been touched by someone with a mental disorder, and anyone who considers themselves an advocate for the mentally ill.

Anne Clinard Barnhill, born in 1952 relates the story of her life as sister to Becky, who was born 1/31/58. Becky displayed autistic behavior almost from infancy. She became continent at 4; was marginally verbal for the first few years of her life; communicated by phrasing her statements as questions, e.g. "Does the Becky want to eat? Why can't the Becky learn at home?" Anne, 6 years her sister's senior took Becky under her wing and was lovingly protective of her. She even spent her summers working with Becky on cognitive skills.

Sadly, precious little was known about autism in those days. Becky was erroneously labled as "emotionally disturbed" and even retarded. Sadly, this was not uncommon back then. Becky's schooling was also a problem - in 1965, she was expelled for disruptive behavior from one special needs class in West Virginia and saw a therapist. One group home refused to take her until she became fully self-sufficient in toileting. Although continent and reliable, Becky still needed help cleaning up. Once she mastered that skill, Pressley House, a group home/school was willing to accept her after placing her on a waiting list.

On October 1, 1966 the Clinards took Becky to Amos Cottage, which was an interim placement. Becky served 9 months in Amos Cottage which sounded like a genuine hellhole. Nurses ran the place and the lowest functioning children were kept in crib-cages with bars across the top. Becky talked of the "water babies in the basement," which sounded like she meant children with hydrocephalus. She was able to describe Amos Cottage, which sounded horrible. The Clinards were horrified by the place as anyone would be, but sadly there was no other place forthcoming for Becky.

In June of 1967 after a nearly 9-month sentence in Amos House, Becky enjoyed the annual family camping trip; had fun dodging her sister and sneaking off to the pool which was verboten and in general loving the outdoors. Despite many of her unexplainable behaviors, Anne remains loving and tolerant of Becky. I like that.

Becky's behavior remains severely autistic. She pulls dolls apart until they are limbless and headless; she flips any object in her path and she gives her sister the nickname "Jet," explaining that she thinks Anne's face is jet-plane shaped. (Kind of makes you think of Paul McCartney & Wings' song, "Jet.")

Anne talks about her own milestones; her love of the Beatles whom she discovered in late 1963; her boyfriends; her schools; her crushes; her peers and how they all related to Becky. I like the way she describes her response to the events of the day, e.g. Viet Nam War (she had classmates and friends who were drafted); hippies and the music and the family Ford Galaxie, a singularly cool car. One funny story involves how Anne and her friends got stuck in that Ford and rescued it, with great music from 1968 as the soundtrack.

Anne introduces readers to her family. Readers are treated to both sets of grandparents, aunts and cousins as well. One of my favorite parts was when the girls' mother would sing Beatle songs and emphasize the "yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in the 1963 classic, "She Loves You." It just goes to show you that nobody could dodge that Beatle influence! Becky's classmates wanted her to choose Beatle songs for her ballet recital. The Beatles remain a comforting presence throughout the book.

Despite their vastly different needs and personalities, the sisters really do, as the Beatles said, "Come Together." Readers get to follow Anne down her growing up years and experience into adulthood; at the same time readers follow Becky's progress as well. Becky weathers some major storms, including abuse at a group home when she was 9-11.

Becky's sentence at Pressley House ended in 1971. Then 13, she went onto a special program at the local high school and secured a diploma in 1979 for merely attending. She worked at area sheltered workshops before she entered a group home in 1990 at age 32.

Readers get to cheer Anne's successes as well; a successful second marriage; a blessing of 3 sons; her degrees and her courage and candor in sharing her life and that of her immediate family. Readers are encouraged by Becky's progress as well. Their story has helped lift the Dark Curtain of the Dark Ages that acted as a barrier towards appropriate placement and diagnosis for people with autism. Sadly, few options existed in those days.

In addition to the Beatle parts which I readily identified with and understood, I like the way Anne Clinard Hill opens each chapter with a passage from "The Wizard of Oz." This classic is one she and Becky have loved over the decades and do to this day.

This book makes me think of the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz." Readers cannot help but think that in time the Path to Acceptance and recognition of autism is closer than over that rainbow and is tangible, not illusive. I am one of the people who thinks that. I like the way Becky accepts herself as well and I think this is one of the best books I have ever read about a sibling who has autism.

This book was obviously designed to be simple and easy to read. This helps, because dealing with complex medical terms at the same time you're coping with the death of a loved one is simply too much to ask.

Although the book is slightly weighted towards helping nurses or hospice staff, it will be useful for just "plain folks" who are NOT doctors or nurses but want to know if their professional caregivers are doing the "right things."

If you anticipate caring for a dying friend or relative at home, I would suggest getting this book and reading through it (it's very brief and right to the point) BEFORE the emotions and stress of this job reach critical mass. The information here can help anyone facing this reduce the stress, provide some confidence, maybe even shed light on how dying (and caring for a dying person) can be a growth process.

It's not "New Age" or mystical, but it is full of useful, elegantly-explained methods of dealing with the things that happen as we die.

After the death of a friend or loved one many people comment how helpful a book of this kind would have been to assist in going through the process of dying.While not necessarily scientific it should be required as a sensitivity training for physicians where caring and not curing is mandatory for a successful closure