Woods Books

Emm...The book Lord of the Ring makes me feel good.It is very exciting and anxious when I read the book.Before I bought the book,my friend and I when to see the this movies.Starting,I didn't know what exactly is that movie.After I have seen this movie,I love with this movie.I don't know why I have this feeling.Maybe I like the young hobbit,that is Frodo Baggin.He was so cute,brave little hobbit man...In the books I like him most.The stories of the books was so great.It so adventurios of the stories line.It's also makes me fill with fear when they have to fight with that ugly creature working for Saruman.he's so bad.I don't like him.

So,I have the wonderful moment as I love my books and the stories.The Lord of the Ring is the best among all the books and stories that I've read and seen.

All i can say is that i loved this book. Anything about Elijah Wood is awesome.

I love to read about Elijah. Very interesting book. Everyone should know him as the best actor he is .

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I bought this book, but it turned out to be pretty interesting. I had no idea that Mr. Wood had been acting for so long, and had accomplished so much. Certainly by comparison to DiCaprio, Wood has shown much greater breadth and range of acting. A lot of the book was predictible, [...] but it did cover the basics--biography, filmography, pictures, and trivia. Hopefully this won't be the last book written about this talented young actor!

I rate this book * * * * *, because it has style, pictures and 100% Eliajh! This is my review!

If you like knights, kingdoms, and enchanted forests, then you'll simply love The Enchanted Wood. The Enchanted Wood, by Ruth Sanderson, is a book set back in the medieval times of kings and kingdoms, and takes place in a kingdom. After giving birth to her third son, the queen dies and the king and the land share the same grief. Then the king decides that the only way to end the drought is by going and finding the heart of the world and ask for the drought to end.
There are many good qualities about The Enchanted Wood and here are a few. The genres of The Enchanted Wood are historical fiction and fantasy. One good thing that Ruth Sanderson did is that her themes are very easy to find, like her theme," Don't be distracted in life by things that you want, just be glad with the things you have." The main character is Galen the king's youngest son and he wants to prove himself to everbody by finding the heart of the world. This book's genre is similar to Cinderella's genre because both books are historical fiction and fantasy.
The Enchanted Wood would be a good book for younger kids because ruth Sanderson wrote the book like it was for little kids. I believe that Ruth Sanderson should use more forceful language. The Enchanted Wood's theme is very easy to find where other books have it harder to find the theme. I think that this is a good book because it has a great theme. Remember, if you like medieval times then you will love The Enchanted Wood.

This book is a great story, filled with marvelous paintings. I love this book, and Ruth Sanderson is probably my favorite artist.

Thank you, Ruth Sanderson, for writing and painting!

This story teaches so much it is anything but 'weak'!! The folly of selfishness and vanity are foremost among the lessons to be learned. Devotion to a greater good than our own individual desires is modeled, and the pitfalls of the opposite character trait. I find it fascinating that the one temptation that ruled each of the first two princes turned out to be all 'smoke & mirrors'when the enchantment was gone. There WAS no black knight, only hack marks in the trees. So often in real life, the things that detour us from a noble purpose turn out to be irrelevant.

Ruth Sanderson is an excellent story-teller and author. This is a fine book to add to anyone's collection of fairytales or picture books. Highly recommended!

First of all, I need to clarify what at least two other reviewers have mistaken: this book is NOT Enid Blyton's 'Enchanted Wood' as part of her Faraway Tree trilogy. This is a children's picture book confusingly by the same name - an original fairytale by author and illustrator Ruth Sanderson, also know for her works 'The Crystal Mountain', 'Cinderella' and 'The Golden Mare, the Firebird and the Magic Ring'.

That said, this book is an interesting mix of truly beautiful paintings (its a pity there isn't a picture of the cover on this webpage, as that always puts people off buying products) and a traditional, predicable story.

After a beautiful kingdom becomes plauged by a drought the king sends his three sons Edmund, Owen and Galen to find the Heart of the World that lies within the Enchanted Wood to restore the kingdom - in finding it their purpose will be magically achieved. Successively the three head off, and individually come to a cottage on the verge of the forest, where an old woman warns them not to wander off the path no matter what. Well, you don't really need to be told any more to know exactly what happens. The two older sons succumb to temptation, while the youngest remains true to his quest and succeeds, inheriting the kingdom and marrying the old woman's beautiful daughter Rose who accompanied him through the forest (for both mother and daughter had been unwilling gatekeepers of the forest, though eventually liberated by Galen's nobility). It is an old formula, encompassing all the cliches of a beautiful maiden, the threefold trial, the cursed kingdom, the virtueous youngest brother... Even though children will certainly not be bothered by this, seasoned fairytale lovers will know the tune oh-so-well and be frustrated at its predictability. Thus the title 'original fairytale' is somewhat misused.

On the other end of the scale however, some points of the story are quite confusing. It is unclear why finding the Heart of the World restores the land to its former glory, nor how it actually manages to achieve this. Furthermore, though Edmund and Owen's submissions to temptation (respectively to hunt a white stag and engage in battle with a Black Knight) are indeed vices, we are never really certain whether Galen did the right thing in turning his back on his own brothers when witnessing them in peril. Lastly, the meaning of the silver key that Rose drops into the Heart's waters and the 'ceremony' that she performs is unclear in its meaning and point.

However, *please* don't let my grousing over this feature stop you from finding this book as they pale in comparison to Sanderson's exquisite oil paintings, and are in fact (in my opinion) her best. In no other book of hers has she reached the level of detail and realism that she does in 'The Enchanted Wood'. She captures motion perfectly, her animals (deer and horses) are beautiful, and all little girls be satisfied that the heroine Rose is stunning. The best part however is Sanderson's illustrations of the forest - their misty, mysterious, shrouded depths are gorgeously created, from their forbidding entrance at the iron gates to the Heart of the World - three treetrunks intertwinging to make one.
The illustrations more than make up for the story and make this book a must-have for all lovers of great art, children's books, fairytales or beauty in general.

It is unfortunate that it has such a well-used title, as I know of two other books by the same name (Enid Blyton's, and another 'Enchanted Wood' by the Australian writer and illustrator Shirley Barber) but the illustrations *are* worth the effort to tracks this book down, either from Amazon or your library.

I read this chapter book as a bed time story to my then 5 year old twins.
They really liked the different worlds at the top of the tree.
It was one of my favourites as a kid.

Short, self-contained, well-written chapters keep my children's attention. There are many characters for a young children's book, but the characters are very well described and each have their own special kirks. Great for reading aloud to young children.

I think the only reason I became an avid reader was because I was introduced to Enid Blyton books as a child. Born and raised in the tropics(part of the British Empire at one time), I found it hard to believe that I coudn't find them easily at bookstores here in the USA when I wanted to buy them for my daughter. I would say the first books I chose to pick up for her to read were the Wishing Chair series and the Faraway Tree series. I think they really represent what Enid Blyton's books are all about. Her books are not only imaginative and entertaining they contain good values and an appreciation of nature. For those children who are not ready for spine tinglers and chillers, her fairy tales create a warm, comforting setting with just the right touches of fun and humor to encourage even the most reluctant of readers to continue turning pages and asking for more. My daughter and I have since collected over 250 of her books. This year, I donated extra copies that I owned to her elementary school because I really believe that her books can reach out to any reluctant reader. My daughter said that she even found teachers reading them during their spare time. If you have spare copies of her books, please consider donating them to schools. Most school libraries are rarely able to obtain them.

I agree with Veronika that it is a shame that the book was changed. I am a teacher and read the original to a class and every child wanted the book. I ordered them copies from Amazon in the UK and the children were very disappointed with the new names, etc. They loved the book, however, and most of them read their copy many times and/or their parents read it to them. The four stars is for this edition, not the original. If you can get a copy of the original (used) I highly recommend it. There are some things in the original that I would recommend discussing. An example of this is Dame Slap and why we, hopefully, wouldn't see her slapping a student today and why.

I just received my copy of this book today.

I grew up with the Enid Blyton stories (in Australia) and adored the Faraway Tree collection.

My only problem with this collection is that it has been updated for "political correctness". No more Jo, Bessie and Fanny - it's Joe, Beth and Frannie. No [...] it's Rick. Saddest of all, no more Dame Slap. Nope, instead of slapping (from my quick glance at the book) she makes Rick put his hands on his head and stand in the corner. It's a bit of a shame we live in an age where people won't accept a classic story for what it is and need to change the author's own words for political correctness.
However, this being said. I think every child in America would benefit from these highly imaginitive stories from a wonderful author. To me, Enid Blyton is as good as J.K. Rowling (and I LOVE Harry Potter books too).
I'm sure my 3 daughters will love these stories as they get older, just as much as I did, and still do.

Book about Warblers
this reference book is very helpful in identifying the migrating warblers.
It arrived in very good condition.

This book is much more than just a field guide to the warblers. It contains a wealth of information on identification, but it also functions as a summary of the scientific literature on the ecology of each species, complete with references to the primary literature. This guide is a great way to not only get more serious as a birdwatcher, but also to help this interest develop into an interest in and understanding of ecology.

As a field guide, this book is exhaustive and excellent. The illustrations are extremely clear, and there are distinct illustrations of different sexes, ages, and plumages (fall/spring) whenever these plumages are distinct. In addition to the illustrations of perched birds, there are also excellent illustrations of undertail patterns, which are very important and useful. Throughout the text as well, there are a number of detailed color photos. Visually, this guide has it all! The range maps are large and clear, although I wish that the range maps would mark migration paths more clearly.

The expanded chapters on each species are outstanding. While some of this information, especially the plumages, range, song, habitat, and behavior, would be interesting and useful to birders, this book goes above and beyond by discussing in depth the ecology of each species, taxonomy, and conservation status. The writing is clear and concise, and there are numerous references to the primary literature as starting points for people who are interested in further reading.

Bottom line? If you like warblers, you have to get this book! You will not be disappointed.

Several years ago, while watching the bird feeders at Muskatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in Seymour, Indiana, I heard a voice behind me pointing out that there were two races of White-crowned Sparrow at the feeder. He went into detail about the subtle differences between the two. At first I thought to myself, who is this guy? Later, I realized that it was Jon Dunn! I have had a high respect for him ever since.
Years later, he was the guest speaker at our bird club meeting. He presented some of the plates from his, at the time, upcoming new field guide to warblers. I fell in love with the plates from the very start. Thomas R. Shultz and Cindy House did a remarkable job, and the detail that was carefully gathered from museum specimens is second to none. I knew from the beginning that I had to have this new field guide and I couldn't wait until it appeared on the shelves.
When I bought my copy of the finished product, it was even more than I expected. Aside from the detailed plates making fall and female warbler identification easier, the text is filled with information on virtually every aspect of life history of each species, with cross-references that will aid any serious researcher. More than just a field guide for identification purposes, this book belongs on the shelf of beginners and experts alike who share a passion for warblers.

This book provides good color plates of the warblers in various stages of plummage. The distribution maps are easy to read and color coded. I bought the book because of the multiple pages of natural history information on each species. The birding guide I use in the field has excellent illustrations but totally lacks in the supplemental information. So, when I get home, I grab this book to learn the biology of the species.

Kimball Garrett and Jon Dunn worked together once again to produce a masterpiece. The information on status and distribution is remarkably accurate given the exceptional detail in which it is presented. The identification discussion is thorough and accurate. The discussion of subspecies, their taxonomy, and their identification (as is possible) is remarkable. The books only failing are the illustrations, which are flat and unrealistic for the most part. Their usefulness is limited.

A good book for beginners to the world of food allergies. Otherwise too basic with little new information.

Finally a book that gives me all the answers and then some. I checked this book out of the library, but will purchase my own to keep. The information is invaluable!

This book was easy to understand, practical and informative. I've read several books about food allergies at this point, and food allergies for dummies is the one I found to be most helpful. If you or a family member have just been diagnosed and you've looking for information. I'd definitely recommend it.

Just started reading but love this book already. Must read for those with food allergies or parents of kids with food allergies. Well worth the money.

As a grandmother of an almost 3 year old grandson, with a severe peanut/tree nut allergy, I found this book great...but sadly, not complete. What is missing? Information about products, other than food, that can cause an alergic reaction. Products, for instance, like bean bag chairs stuffed with peanut shells; certain craft items, like paint or Moon Sand, made with peanut/tree nut oils. All are dangerous and can cause a reaction by contact. To keep him as safe as possible, I DON'T BUY ANYTHING UNLESS IT HAS A CUSTOMER CARE PHONE NUMBER LISTED ON THE LABEL. Everything he eats or comes in contact with must be checked and double checked!! Hope this helps others with the same difficulty.

Gail Sangregorio

Very informative book on the mechanics of getting to the moon in the 1960s; also,contains some very good photos.

How was the pyramids built? Humanity tends to easily forget how great achievements are made, at least close to their actually performance. However, over time the question "how" is often subject to more debate and interest than the question "why" and "who". This book really fills the gap and explains in great detail the different technical aspects of Apollo's fligths to the moon. It's also written in such way that you really don't have to be a nobel prize winner to understand it or appreciate it. If you haven't read any books on this subject before, I strongly recommend you to begin with this!

I have over 200 books on the early space program and the race to the moon but this book is by far the best and most detailed I have ever read on just how it was done. I couldn't put it down. If you ever wanted to know, for example, what every abort mode meant during launch or why and how the crew made certain burns during the flight, get this book! It takes the reader from liftoff through splashdown explaining in fantastic detail every step of these wonderful voyages. This book is not a techno-geek's only book. It explains to the common man in the street everything from transfer orbits to gimbal lock. Get this book! I guarentee, even if you thought you knew a lot about it, you'll be amazed at what it took to fly to the moon.

First of all, I second all the wonderful things that folks have said about this book in the other reviews. It beautifully fills in the gaps as to what was actually going on, and explains in relatively simple terms how the systems work. An engineer or space enthusiast won't have any problems with the terminology. A less educated reader might be somewhat less able to understand - but then again, they're probably not the target audience, anyway. As someone who spent his teenage years watching Apollo live, I'm very happy to have the book in my collection.

There are a few quirks that stuck out at me:
(1) The book literally stinks. I don't know what kind of paper and ink combination they used, but the book smells AWFUL. There's something in it that I'm allergic to. It makes me sneeze if it's within 18 inches of my face, so I have to hold it at arms length to read it without my eyes watering and my nose running. I hate to mention that, but it's enough of an issue to be more than just annoying. I have never had that problem with any other book.

(2) Most of the black and white photos are reproduced very darkly. Some of them are so dark that it's difficult to tell what we are supposed to be seeing in the photo.

(3) The author says up front that he will insist on using metric instead of English units because that's the way the rest of the world measures things. As someone who has memorized all the pertinent dimensions of the Apollo from his youth, it's very disconcerting for me to see them expressed solely in different units. In some cases, the author's writing around the units makes this even more bizarre to my American sensibilities. For example, we would say the F-1 engine produced 1.5 million pounds of thrust. On page 19, the author says the F-1 "produced a force that could balance 680 tonnes of mass." I only recall him using the word "thrust" once in the book - the rest of the time, he speaks of balance tonnes of mass.

(4) The editing was a little sloppy. Perhaps the book was not intended to be read sequentially, but there are examples when entire paragraphs are reproduced almost verbatim in several chapters. One section has a footnote that refers the reader to the previous chapter - the one we just read - for a discussion of a concept. The author also introduces verbatim transcripts of transmissions from actual missions to illustrate points about systems that he is discussing. However, he tends to include more of the conversation than is pertinent to the issue in question. It's as if someone is showing you film clips that go on a little longer than they should, past the punch line.

These are relatively minor quibbles, though. Again, I believe this is an excellent book than any fan of the Apollo era will want to have in his or her library.

A page-turner for those interested in the mechanics of spaceflight. Even though it records the events of nearly forty years ago, it is still hard to believe that men put their faith in such frail craft; the chances of safely returning from the voyage to the moon were put at no more than 50/50.

What struck me most about this book was the depth of research, and the revelatory nature of some of the material. For example, while I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about the mechanics of Apollo, having eagerly consumed anything and everything I could get my hands on since I was a kid watching it on TV, I was surprised to find out the accuracy required to safely enter lunar orbit. This book reveals that an SPS burn even 2 seconds short or longer than planned could result in either a crash into the Moon or slingshot into solar orbit. And that, once in orbit around the Moon, the time between loss-of-signal and re-aquisition was pre-calculated to the second, and their calculation was invariably right on the money. All this in the era of the slide-rule.

If you have even a passing interest in the technical detail of Man's greatest accomplishment, get this book. Guaranteed to please the hard-core space fan.

I am a therapist with a private clinical practice, working primarily with adolescents and women of all ages who are survivors of some form of trauma, including sexual abuse and incest. I have to say, that this is the book I use most, with all ages, including women who are uncovering and dealing with painful abuse memories. Over and over I hear clients proclaim that the book and quotes from other survivors help them not feel so alone and to also understand better what happened to them and to know there is hope. Also, the way in which the author discloses her own incest history and recovery is refreshing and hopeful and establishes a climate of credibility and trust. In my 20 years of clinical practice and training, I have aquired and read $1000's of dollars worth of trauma books and materials and this book sits as one of the top and most frequently used resources. Also, there is a children's book called "BRAVE BART" which has been a wonderful resource for adult survivors as well as children and adolescent survivors.
D.
(Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor)

This is a book which is going to help so many people deal with issues and put them to one side before reaching adult hood and meeting a partner. I believe it is a soul saver
thank you for writing this
Lynn Grocott
author of Cut the Strings the true story of a soul reclaimed

This book is great. I started reading books on the subject of sexual abuse when I was 15 (when I told) and am now 19. I have read all of the popular book out there on this subject (paticularly The Courage to Heal by Ellen Bass) and have found others helpful, but none of them have ever compared to How Long Does it Hurt. It helped me a lot to realize that what happened to me was horrific and was really abuse and that it was okay for me to feel the things that I did. I'd recommend this book to any and every survivor out there. Teenager or not. It very well could be a lifesaver.

Great book, I've read a lot of books on this topic and especially ones targeted towards young adults. This is another book that I highly recommend because: it's easy to read, it practically speaks to you and you can finish it within afew hours, it's style is appealling to teenagers and young adults.
Also it's directed towards girls and boys, it's style should also interest guys to read it and benefit.
Another good book I recommend for girls is "invisible girls" by Dr. Patti Feuereisen.

this is the best reference book for teens facing sexual abuse that i have found, and i have found several. it is also very, very helpful for a parent/parents.

I love reading poetry books and this was just a darling little thing that kept me horrified and freaked out and falling in love with the human spirit all over again. Reminds me a lot of Jim Morrison's work.

Well I use to hate poetry. I remember back in highschool when they made us read Shakeaspeare and Lord Byron in English class. I hated it I couldn't understand it at all, and my teacher she gushed over Shakeaspeare, acted like he was a god. Well I refused to read a poem after I got out of college. So I have been dating this girl and guess what she's a teacher, she kept telling me about this book of poetry that she just loves and well it has been our only real disagreement. So finally I gave in, yeah women can be persuasive. I read her copy of this book and I was astounded, I couldn't believe that I had been refusing to read this stuff for years. Then I came to my senses and decided that this guy was alone and everything else was like Shakespeare, well I was wrong I picked up a copy of one of Saul Williams books and was just as astounded. But hey if you really want a fresh look at poetry, life, and all just read this guy. Now I need to go so I can order my copy of this book, my girlfriend has been insisting I give her's back. I especially loved the one on page 133.

After years of dedicated searching under the tutelage of my uncle who thrives on unknown poets, I found a wonderful poet before he did; Rik Woods with "This Little Red Bitch in My Chest" has assembled a new authoritative guide to life, survival, and modern poetry for the whole of society. I usually tend toward Australian poets like Banjo Patterson and Tim Thorne, but last summer I was in New York City to visit a mate. We were walking down the road a came across a bookseller and I were astonished by the title and just snatched it without even looking really. Well I stashed it in my gear and didn't look at it until I got back. Well I love this book; the bloke is just marvellous with one-liners every so often. Well this is definitely a book for the Joe Bloggs.

I couldn't put it down. The words swayed me into times and places of past, present, and future. Images cursed through mind of mad men and sultry lusts, dripping with sweetness and innocence. Some poems made me want to put my hand over my eyes like a child watching a scary movie, but still always peeking through the fanning of the fingers. I have tried to put the book down, and like an obsession, I keep reading, one more poem, one more poem. Wonderfully written, experience laden, and an emotional rollercoaster. Thank you for sharing, the world needs more.

This Little Red Bitch In My Chest (2004.) A collection of poems covering the heavy and the distraught the edge and the inner soul.

INTRODUCTION: (I discovered most of the following from Rik Woods' Yahoo 360 and Myspace.com sites.)
Rik Woods isn't some academia poet that lives under publish or perish. For decades, Rik Woods has been writing and building a following of people he knows without ever being published. Read on for my review on this new and exciting poet.

OVERVIEW:
This book is essential a wandering through a life, at least that is how it seems to me. A life lived and struggled through. But I wonder if he can sustain this kind of writing or will it run out before he can make a real impact on the world of poetry, notably the hardest writing market to succeed in.

REVIEW:
I hate writing reviews and you can see I have never posted one on Amazon before, but after watching this book for several years and ordering a few for friends and seeing great reviews but none that really highlighted what this poet can do. So I am going to take the time to make a few points out of the book.




Only the good die young
Excerpt: Just as sweet death comes to claim me
That damn machine brings me back
Have you ever dreamed on life support?

COMMENTS: Okay so this poem might irritate some people right off as it is about euthanasia, I can't really say from reading the book where the poet stands on this subject or any others for that matter. But the character in the poem is definetly pro-euthanasia, as you see the struggle his body is going through just to survive you kinda wish he would die.

The hand that hurts
Excerpt: My father was not a man of great acclaim, yet
He is mine to claim
COMMENTS: Okay so this one after you read it is clearly about child abuse, but asfter you get through it and reread it you realize that from the child's point of view only knowing that abuse, he stil loves his father.

Reproduction
Excerpt: As I stand here in the cold ass rain
The fear of loneliness gripping me
For the thousandth time this day
COMMENTS: When I first read this one I was kinda at a loss, I thought it was just a person depressed over not having children. But now I wonder if maybe there was and it was aborted or miscarried. I don't know like all poetry I think each person has to take their own away from it, and I think this short simple poem is a prime example.

A whole lot of nothing
excerpt: and a whole lot of nothing is what I will leave the
sons and daughters that will never be born
COMMENTS: Again one that evokes that feeling of longing. Sometimes you wish that when you turn the page there would be a happy poem, and I guess occasionally that does happen, but when you read ones like this you just want to cry.

Stuck
excerpt: Have you ever felt like a cigarette butt in the bottom
Of a half empty beer bottle
Unsure if it's stale beer or urine
COMMENTS: Okay so this one is just great in my book, those first three lines sum up what we have all felt in life at some point, but could really never put out finger on how to say just how crappy life felt at that time. If those three lines don't make you say "yeah" and laugh at how hard life really is then I don't know what will.

If I Fall Down on My Way to Heaven
excerpt: And now I'm so tired I lay me down to die
And if I should go to heaven instead of oblivion
I give my soul for Elvis to take
COMMENTS: Where the hell does a person come up with lines like these? I mean it is great to see that a person can take something in life that has become mundane like mentioning Elvis and turn it into something that makes you do a double take and say what! This is another of those that you will have to really take your own from it.

Sexual innuendo
excerpt: I reach for you and find your thighs wet
Come here, baby, kiss the king tonight
COMMENTS: To put it simply, this poem is erotic without being just porn as you so often see in erotic poetry. It appears to be a sweet memory from the past that a person relives. It is sweet is so many ways which is probably why it ended up in a chapter titled "Sweetheart"

OVERALL:
Overall, it's a good collection. If you don't want to spend the money to get this book believe me if you like poetry and reading poetry it will be your loss? I have spent a lot of money on poetry and I tell you this is one book I have not minded buying 4 times now, and three friends have agreed with me on this poet's work. I do not hesitate to say that often it left me in tears. When a writer (poet or novelist) can do that to a person you know you have hit upon a wonderful and insightful artist.

Watcher in the Woods picks up the eerie, engrossing story begun in House of Dark Shadows, which saw the King family move from Pasadena to the small town of Pinedale when their father Edward accepts the position of principal at the high school, and into a house with a dark history. From the first page of this Christian-published young adult novel we are plunged once again into the high intensity, rapid fire setting of the first. Liparulo cuts to the chase, providing a bare minimum of exposition in the first chapters to remind readers of where the story left us at the end of book one.

This series is one that builds upon itself, adding question upon question, layer upon layer of mystery and uncertainly to the storyline, while revealing few answers. These titles do not stand-alone; each is an integral part of the story. Each book needs to be read in sequence in order to follow along.

David and Xander, the King brothers, throw themselves fool-hardily into the search for their missing mother. Frustrated by their father's lack of action they take matters into their own hands despite their father's cautious prohibitions and warnings. This rebellion against their father marks the initiating of the downward spiral of the King family into the darkness that becomes more palpable throughout this title.

The King family struggles to maintain a somewhat normal façade (with little success) when dealing with the townsfolk of Pinedale. Edward King starts his new job and the King siblings enter the school year in unfamiliar surroundings. Together the family embarks on a plan of deception, and outright lies to mask the disappearance of their mother. I was so dismayed to see this plan being carried out with little concern for the word of God. This is only book two of the series, but as the characters involved are professing Christians I hope to see God dealing with this blatant sin in their lives before the series comes to an end.

Watcher in the Woods is not as cohesive a tale as the first book. Liparulo includes a lengthy scene which appears unconnected from any other events in the series to date. This odd scene seems only to serve as a respite from the relentless action. I am surmising that he will further explain the meaning of this incident in future books and is only starting to weave this thread through the story.

New characters, mysteries and challenges arise but few are solved. The King family learns some rudimentary operations of the portals in their new home, but so much remains to be discovered. I feel that we are barely at the beginning of learning how and why the house and portals work, but this installment hints at a fuller explanation in the near future.

While the ending of the first novel left us hanging with the disappearance of the King's mother, it pales in comparison with the monstrous cliffhanger Liparulo works up to this time. Anyone who has taken a creative writing course can tell you that the climax ought to occur approximately 80 - 90% of the way through a story, leaving the author time to wrap up loose ends and come to a conclusion. You can't expect that sort of formulaic tale telling with this series.

A frenzy of action builds up to the climax, and Liparulo leaves us there with no conclusion. Three dramatic, time-sensitive events occur simultaneously at the end of the novel, bringing stress levels to a crescendo before cuting us off abruptly with the words "NOT THE END". Whew, what a ride. Dreamhouse Kings fans are looking longingly towards the January 2009 release of Gatekeepers, the third title in the series; harbouring the distant hope of a conclusion, an ending, someday.

Okay, this guy named Robert Liparulo decides he can write thrillers. He gives us some great page-turners, then thinks that qualifies him to write YA books, as well. I figure I'll give the series a try, and I speed through book one, "House of Dark Shadows."

Well, this pesky Liparulo fellow leaves me hanging, so I pick up book two right away--which I rarely do when reading through a series--and I race to the end of that one even quicker. Yeah, this writer's that good.

Starting where book one left off, "Watcher in the Woods" churns through more adventures, more conflicts (with police, Civil War soldiers, and WWII tanks), and troubles between the King family members. We also meet a mysterious stranger, who tends to spy on the Kings from the neighboring woods. The Kings have moved into an old home, but find themselves caught in a whirlpool of portals into history. They've lost something very important, and they must figure out how to get this precious thing back without losing their trust in each other.

Although I, just like the story's teenaged Xander, got impatient with the family's plodding approach toward their problem, I began to understand the father's reasoning. Maybe Liparulo just had me tied into too many knots to believe that anyone could approach something so emotional so logically. Either way, "Watcher in the Woods" sucked me along in a few short readings, and left me hanging once again in anticipation for book three, "Gatekeepers."

Phaw! And that Liparulo guy thought he could write YA books. I'll have to keep reading these things until I can prove him wrong.

Sometimes when you know, you know! Right? Like when I first read Robert Liparulo's "Comes a Horseman," I KNEW I'd found a new favorite. You know, forget the fact that he had "Germ" and "Deadfall," along with a couple Young Adult books on the way. I was pretty certain I'd found another author to put near the top of my list. I think he's that good! Ted Dekker endorsed the first 2 books of this series, "Dreamhouse Kings," and Liparulo is creeping right up to Dekker. That's because he's almost as good! That's saying a lot right there. So, how about it? Are you ready for adventure with the King family? And by the way, don't even think about setting a cruise control, the setting is all or nothing!!

If you met the Kings, Xander, David, Toria, along with the mom and dad, you realize that they have a lot going on. Especially with this new house. And in book #2, Mom is missing, and Xander will stop at nothing to find her. And David is just as committed. But somebody else is just as committed, and he's always lurking in the shadows. And right when they meet this stranger, Dad immediately doesn't like him. Adventure, madness and mayhem is the name of this game, but it's really no game to the Kings. But if it is a game, then they have to play along to the rest of the world to assure others that everything is just fine. Does that sound like an adventure you'd be interested in?

Robert Liparulo has caught the attention of many, and he's shocked a lot of people with great writing! Tess Gerritsen, Michael Palmer, James Rollins, Steve Berry, all those authors are bestsellers, and they ALL give Liparulo a seal of approval. I give him nothing but the best, because he IS one of the best today! That's no surprise to me. But the world better watch out, because Liparulo has a ball rolling. And that ball is just rolling faster and gaining amazing speed!! AWESOME!

This story picks up as if it's just the next chapter of "House of Dark Shadows." That's good, if you had "Watcher in the Woods" handy, because you're going to want to go from one to the next asap. That's also the drawback, when you finish "Watcher" you're even more so going to want the next installment - and it comes out in January 2009. Write faster, Bob! Just kidding, I'm sure he's doing everything he can to keep us going.

I have come to really enjoy this family - they bond and grow together throughout this book, and they way they pull together seems to be the antithesis of the disfunctional family we all read about.

The adventures in this book become more recognizable by period and character, and I really look forward to the next 2-3 books as I'm sure you will if you buy these books.

I couldnt wait to read this after reading the first book and was not disappointed in the least. This is another great book for adults as well as the YA crowd. The king family lives in a house with strange rooms that change and take you to different times. This time someone strange is watching the family and wants to run them out to get the house for themselves. Will they be able to figure out what to do before another family member goes missing. Again a must for fans of liparulo and for suspense fans in general. Also go to [...] to enter a contest where robert liparulo might use your idea in a future book in the series.

What Dads Can't Do is the perfect Father's Day gift. We first got this book as a gift for our preschooler from his teacher. My husband read it, loved it, and kept it! So I ordered another one for my kids. The story reminds us what it really means to love our kids.

I love these What ?? Can't Do books and so does my 18 month old. He actually brings them to me to read to him.

The illustrations are great and the words are so true and endearing. I have almost all the books in the series.

If you think of your kids thinking of you like this... it's a whole new relationship.

I so enjoy the humor in each of these books! Your children will like the pictures of the "goofy" characters. You will enjoy the subtle adult humor when reading to your children.

What Dads Can't Do is written from a preschooler's admiring perspective of a dad's helpful habits. Any father will be delighted to think that perhaps some of that self-sacrifice is perceived in positive ways by the tykester set. This book would make a wonderful gift from a preschooler to her or his father for Father's Day. The humorous, warm watercolors of Stegosaurus-type dinosaurs make the messages tickle your laughter button even more than would usually occur with these dry one-liners.

"There are lots of things/ that regular people can do/ but dads can't."

" . . . can't cross the street without holding hands."

"Dads can push, but they can't swing."

"Dads can't pitch a baseball very hard or hit one very far."

"When dads play hide-and-seek they always get found, but they have a hard time finding you."

"They aren't very good wrestlers."

"Dads lose at checkers/ and cards/ and almost every other game."

"Dads aren't good at sleeping late. They can't comb their hair or shave by themselves."

"Dads like to go camping but they need lots of help setting up the tent." "And cooking."

As you can see, the manly virtues being praised here are inclusiveness and helpfulness. When dad operates like mom, then he "can't" do something . . . but that's really all right.

My favorites in the book include:

"Dads seem to have trouble holding on to their money." This is combined with an illustration of a dad buying a child a toy in a store.

"Dads like to go fishing, but they don't like to go alone. And they need extra practice baiting the hook."

"Dads can't read a book by themselves."

"Sometimes they leave a night-light on because they're a little scared of the dark."

"And most of all, whatever happens, a dad never ever stops loving you."

The book is written in such a way that this book can be seen as being about a dad who's married to a wonderful mom, one who's divorced and whose children are visiting, or to a single dad who's raising children by himself. I liked that feature very much.

The book is also appealing because it will make a dad feel good whenever he does one of these things. He knows that his son or daughter will appreciate his consideration from having read this book. So having this book available in your house is a little bit like making every day Father's Day!

After you finish the book, dad, you can develop even more closeness by asking your wee ones what else dad can't do. I'm sure they'll come up with some dillies to amuse one and all.

Find more ways to help . . . because you never stand higher in the world's estimation than when you stoop to aid another.