Holidays Books

Every child waits all year for his or her special day; a birthday. The magic and joy of one little girl's birthday fill the pages of "It's My Birthday!" by Jacqueline L. Conway.

The story begins at the start of Tai's birthday party and takes the reader all the way to the end of the party. The simple, rhyming text describes the games, food, singing and gift-opening found at all successful children's birthday parties. In addition to the fun and laughter, "It's My Birthday!" teaches an important lesson to the reader. When a child begins to cry because she forgot to bring Tai a gift, the birthday girl assures her, "Gifts do not make a birthday party. Having you here has brightened my day."

The illustrations are bright and playful. Through their thickly-painted, childlike style, they show us Tai's birthday as if she had painted the pictures herself.

"It's My Birthday!" is a fun story. It also provides a nice reminder that enjoying time with friends and family is the most important part of your most important day.

My 3 year old really loves this book. I have read this book over, over, and over again in a matter of days of owning. This is already his favorite book (so he says).
Nice choice of colors and ink quality.

We're waiting to see more of your work!

My 3 year old really loves this book. I have read this book over, over, and over again in a matter of days of owning. This is already his favorite book (so he says).

Nice choice of colors and ink quality.

We're waiting to see more of your work!

It's My Birthday by Jacqueline, is a great book especially for younger children. I have read it and plan to give it as gifts to my children church class.

I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

I wish Jacqueline much success!

I have always been a fan of children's books and I find myself still buying them. It's My Birthday is a wonderful, cheerful, and colorful book. Many children can escape into the book and think of the happiness that one encounters as they mature throughout life celebrating birthdays. I have shown the book and read it to many, and everyone equally enjoys it. Two thumbs ups!

My daughter loves cats so I got this to give her for her 6th birthday. The characters in it are a hoot.

Another sweet story involving that shy, black kitty named Jenny Linsky. I can't imagine a little kid not loving this story and wanting to read it again and again.

I was delighted to find these books again. For years I have been searching for the books about the little black cat, Jenny.

Recently, I was at Books of Wonder and was jokingly testing the salesperson's knowledge. She knew! I couldn't believe it.

These books were a pleasure to me as a child and spurred my love of reading. I intend to buy all of them for my daughter.

I first read Jenny's Birthday Book as a shy kindergartener. I picked it out of the school library based on my love for cats, the wonderful colors on the cover and because my birthday happened to be coming up. There was no way to know the impact of that library visit.

The following Septembers spent at Berkeley Street School, I would take out Jenny's Birthday Book as a special birthday ritual and read it slowly and mindfully, taken by the gentleness of the language and illustrations. The book was not only a comfort at the time, but shaped my sense of aesthetics and love for language. Even as an adult I am taken by the beauty of the scene where Jenny and her rambunctious friends "... danced the sailor's hornpipe in the moonlit park."

Anyway, never forgetting this book, I had been on fruitless search for it for the past 15 years (I thought it was titled Jenny's Birthday Party and didn't know the author) and happened upon it in a friend's shop. With a little girl on the way, I can't explain how thankful I am that it has been republished and now own it with the plan to read it to my own daughter.

Well Oct. Is not only my Fav. month.
Buuut also my friend Jenny J.J.I.'s
Birthday! For those of you who know
Mrs. Fab. She is really GREAT! She is
a New Yawker and a loving wife/mother.
She gives WONDERFUL reviews on all
sorts of books and film with her
own,own....pizazz! So Jenny girl
from the bottom of my heart hope
you and your family are enjoying Friday!
Stay who you are and never change!
Your friend Clint!
By the way Jennys Birthday book
is a fantastic read for youngsters!
Thank you.
p.s. Oct. 5th what a SPECIAL day. I remember when
I turned 23 yrs.old Take care J.J.I.

This book is great! Although the conditions of the Jews were horrible, I enjoyed reading this remarkable story. It is more like three stories, becuse three young survivers each tell about their time in Auchwitz. Their names are Rachel, Frieda, and Tola. I enjoyed this historic book and you will, too!

This is a great book! I read it for the first time about a year ago, and it is still one of my favorite books! It is very helpful for school projects!

Kinderlager was a great book. It dipped into all the senses. In the book the feelings of three different people were expressed in three different books. The books were all about the time they spent in the Holocaust. In some way or another they all met up with each other in the labor camps. The book explains these peoples' experiences and grieving in great detail. The reason why I liked this book so much was because it was real. Just knowing those people really lived through those harsh conditions... it made the book more effective. I recommend this book to anyone don't miss out on the chance to read it!

This book was a finalist for the 1999 Society of Midland Authors Annual Book Awards contest in the category of children's nonfiction.

This book is one of the few such non-fiction works thataccomplishes several goals while still reaching an audience that, inmy opinion, spans in age from the old to the very young. The graphicaccounts and descriptions may seem too harsh at first for youngreaders, however, the subtle tone and easy language turns a tragicstory into a recognizable tale of pain, perseverance, and ultimatestrength. I've been around these stories my whole life, and though Ifound it very hard as a child to read such accounts, I would recommendusing this book as a tool to teach children about the past so they canbetter direct their future...I hope you read my mother's story andhelp your children understand what happened, what can happen, and whatshould never happen again.

King Midas has always been one of my very favorite stories I remember hearing it as a kid and never ever forgetting cause its that original! so I looked long and hard for the very best version of it and surely found it with Stewig and Rayyan's take on such a classic. Page by page it is a smorgasbord for the eyes! As soon as I received it and read it I was enchanted and very pleased with my purchase cause often I search and search for versions of such tales as "Hansel and Gretel" or "Jack and the beanstalk" and find myself pretty disappointed cause their Grimm stories and lets face it its hard to not make them a little scary for kids and when it came to King Midas of course it was a little easier cause you don't have the words like "die or hate" in them but it still needed fine tuning from the version I read as a kid cause I remember mine being a little dark but not this book in fact the very last line of this and I won't spoil it for those who intend to purchase brought tears to my eyes, its that beautifully constructed. So if youre looking for the best version of a very "golden tale" this is worth its weight in gold!

King Midas, the Classic Greek tale, presents the question if whether what you truly value is what you TRULY value? When King Midas turns even his own daughter and cat to cold gold ... he sees that wealth is not just in your value of your hard assets.

The story of King Midas is quite possibly the first classical myth that your children will learn; it's clever, humorous, moralistic, and (rarest of all in the massive canon of myths) has a happy ending! Those Greeks were great storytellers. As such, there are hundreds of Midas retellings out there - perhaps best known is K. Y. Craft's exquisitely illustrated version which I would also highly recommend. But if you're looking for the best - the very best; then (as much as I adore Craft's beautiful work) I'm going to have to recommend John Warren Stewig and Omar Rayyan's collaboration. By Craft's own admission, her illustrations for the myth take on a more Victoriana style, which - as beautiful as they are - grate slightly within the context of a classical myth, whilst Rayyan's illustrations are quintessentially Greek/Roman.

Painted in delicate watercolours in a style that is cartoonish and yet still realistic, Rayyan's creations light up the page. Throughout, there are several sly and humorous features hidden within the pictures, such as reoccurring sub-characters, modern elements and mythological creatures that frequent Midas's palace and watch the proceedings with languid interest. Especially well done is the mysterious stranger (never named, but obviously Dionysus/Bacchus what with his vines and leopard skin), and his wise, lazy, amused expressions; the face of a god.

But to match these gorgeous illustrations must be a narrative to match. In this Stewig adequately and often poignantly retells the famous story of the foolish king; in love with gold only a little less than with his pretty daughter Marygold. When a stranger offers him the gift of the Golden Touch Midas accepts without hesitation, certain that it is the key to his happiness: anything that he touches will magically transform into gold.

The following day brings the gift: his clothes, his furniture and his flowers are transformed - but then so are his spectacles, his food and then tragically, his beloved daughter. Cursing his newfound `gift', Midas willingly gives it back, restoring all he changed with the cleansing waters of the River Pactolus. Now he delights in telling his grandchildren: "Ever since that morning, I cannot stand the sight of gold, except in your hair."

But I really must go back to those illustrations! The modern elements - such as alarm clocks, sunglasses and "Plato Poseidon Puffs" brand cereal - far from being obtrusive, fit wonderfully into the context of the story, being both funny and whimsical. Likewise are the range of mythological creatures - centaurs, mermaids, fauns, satyrs, cherubs, harpies, minotaurs (and sometimes a blending of these creatures) - as well as Midas's exotic pets, who all tell their own little tales as they dart in and out of the illustrations. There are also little cameo appearances by characters from other books - but I could talk about the pictures for ages when I should really leave it up to yourself to discover. All in all, as perfect a picture book as you could wish to find with hours of entertainment to be found in the text and illustrations.

For reasons of my own, I recently set out to find the best possible picture book version of the tale of King Midas. I'm sure you've done the same yourself in your crazy youth. Now depending on how you characterize a picture book as the "best", there are many wonderful version of Midas out there. If you're a fan of prolific Demi's classical style then, "King Midas: The Golden Touch" is your best bet. If, on the other hand, you're addicted to eye-candy treats like those found in Charlotte Craft's, "King Midas and the Golden Touch", then there you would find your quintessential version. But for all Craft and Demi's charms, I give an excessive amount of credit to any picture book that is both faithful to its original story and hilarious to boot. Enter "King Midas" by John Warren Stewig. As well-told as the Demi tale and as lovely to the eye (in an entirely original way) as the Craft, "King Midas" provides one-stop-shopping for the reader looking for the "best" in Midas fare. A tip of the hat to the author. A tip of the hat to the illustrator.

There once was a man named Midas. He was a king and loved better than anything (except, possibly, his daughter) gold. It finally got to the point where Midas spent all his time in a room full of the stuff and it was there than he one day is visited by "some sort of god". The stranger offers Midas his greatest wish i.e. to have the Golden Touch. The next morning Midas wakes up and changes bedspreads, posts, curtains, and all sorts of stuff into gold. Things start turning for the worse when Midas goldifies his reading glasses. Then he finds that he can't eat or drink (with great pictures showing this to be the case). When his daughter attempts to comfort him, she too becomes gold and Midas is perturbed, to say the least. Back comes the stranger and Midas, repenting, is given a chance to change everything that is gold back again. He does so with water from the river (drenching his now thoroughly confused daughter) and for the rest of his days cannot stand the sight of that yellow mineral, except perhaps in the hair of his children and grandchildren.

The story is retold well here. Stewig has a keen ear and continually keeps the tale interesting. He does not modernize the reading or make it sound overly formal in any way. Instead, he provides us with a straightforward retelling that loses none of its humor in its faithfulness to the original text. That said, it's illustrator Omar Rayyan that deserves most of the credit for this one. First of all, as an official member of the Omar Rayyan Fan Club, I'd like to ask the man personally why he doesn't do MORE children's books these days? As far as I can determine, Mr. Rayyan does a lot of covers of children's books (his paperback cover for Susan Cooper's, "The Boggart" is so clever that I doubt that few people who see it will appreciate it) and once in a while will deign to do a picture book as well. The very few times he does, the results are continually eye-popping. In "King Midas", Rayyan goes for an over-the-top style that is filled with little in-jokes, visual beauties, and wonderful sweeping states. Peppering his pages with centaurs, harpies, fauns, and sphinxes, the story is both classic and helplessly modern. After the initial reading, kids will want to try a second or a third in an attempt to catch all the little details scattered about the place. Did you see the Atlas character mocked by Taurus? Did you notice that Midas wears Apollo Feet sandals or feeds his kitty Spot leopard chow? It seems odd to say, but what Rayyan has done here is combine the beautiful with the humorous into a single perfect picture book. While trying to outdo one another in cleverness, the illustrations in this book are also exceedingly lovely. This is a difficult combination (not to say impossible). I only wish the book was better known as a result.

Craft lovers may take me to task, but to my mind no Midas book has come to exceed or improve on that 1999 classic by Stewig and Rayyan. If you're looking for the one version of the story to proclaim to the masses, this be it, my pretties. This be it.

The story is a classic and Stewig did a wonderful job retelling it but in my opinion what really makes the book are the illustrations. Every time I go through the book I find something new in the pictures that I missed before. The book is full of visual jokes and allusions to greek mythology (like a cereal box full of "Poseidon Puffs" and a man with feathered wings falling from the sky). It is one of the most skillfuly (and definatly the most humerously) illustrated childrens books I have seen.

My family loves this book. It's a wonderful blending of the story of St. Valentine and the struggle for racial equality today. The children and situations in the story are believeable and real. They provide a great premise for discussing predjudice with my children while also learning how the sacrificial love demonstrated by St. Valentine can apply to life situations today. We liked this book so much that when our first copy got accidentally destroyed, we hunted down another through Amazon.com to replace it.

While I agree with all that has been said on the this page about this book, I have to add that it would be appropriate for all elementary and even junior high school students as it deals with the issues of race and racial reconciliation in a powerful way.

I love this book because it presents a powerful message in a simple, unsentimental way. The illustrations are amazing -- I'm partial because my daughter and ex-husband were models for several of the illustrations that appear in the book! So thank you, Don Tate. You did a wonderful job, as did the author. A beautiful story about something most of us have a hard time doing: loving our enemies.

simply beautiful, both visually and linguistically...powerful meaning as well...I recommend it highly.

I bought one copy of the board version of the book and loved it. I promptly ordered 10 more copies and several copies of the hardcover book for the children in my church. The hardcover has more text and is even better than the board book. Both books talk about Christ; saint Valentine - who was a Christian who suffered in jail, but blessed and converted his jailers- about the civil rights movement and peaceful resistance, about familiy values and closeness, and EVEN ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH A SCHOOL BULLY. Its main message is that we should not fight evil with evil, but should bless our enemies. At the last page, Marcus, the boy in the story, stretches out his hand and asks the class bully to accept his friendship. It reminded me of Christ's call to humanity to accept Him and his salvation... it's up to each person to accept. I highly recommend the book, either version.

After returning from a tour of India, I decided I needed to learn more about this country. Mr. Anderson's book is a true look into this country. This book digs deep into the sights, smells, sounds and feel of India. A very easy read and a great travel log. I hope Mr Anderson continues to write.

In December 2004, the author left his home in North Carolina to study
yoga in India. Anderson found enlightenment in the land of Gandhi and
Mother Teresa, but not in the way he expected. The moment he stepped
foot in India, his lessons began. To quote the author directly:

"India asks existential questions, and demands immediate
reply. How can you square what you see here with your omnipotent,
benevolent God? You can't. What will you make of your life? What
purpose do your many pleasures serve when millions suffer unrelenting
pain?"

Anderson's odyssey begins in Delhi and proceeds through several
cities, including Calcutta. Calcutta, especially, left an impression
on his body, mind, and spirit. Five-star hotels co-exist there with
squalor beyond American comprehension. Caustic pollution burned his
eyes and seared his lungs as he walked the streets of Calcutta.
Emaciated street children fought with feral dogs over scraps of
rotting food on mountains of trash. People with leprosy, birth
defects, and infections begged from every street and gutter. And yet,
despite living in such unspeakable conditions, the sweet spirit and
inner light of the people shone clearly through their eyes and smiles.

Yes, walking the slums of Calcutta enlightened the healthy, successful
American lawyer and writer. After days of experiencing the sounds,
scents, sights of horrible human suffering, and toxic air, Anderson
was too sick to stand, too emotionally drained to weep. He returned
home determined to do all one man could to offset the suffering he saw
in Calcutta.

The Light Within is beautifully written; Anderson shares his
experiences powerfully with readers. He speaks not only for himself
but all humanity - the armless and legless, the perfect and healthy.
Along with writing this book, Anderson established the Calcutta
Children's Permanent Fund, an endowment providing medical and
nutritional support to the street children of Calcutta.

Joseph Anderson has the unique ability to bring the reader through a vivid and heart-wrenching experience of life in India. He takes the reader to places few tourists would venture, and he describes the challenges he encounters --from extreme poverty to personal discovery -- with a deep understanding of human emotion and a personal connection to our sense of sight, sound and smell. If you want to experience what life is truly like in India, through the eyes of someone who connects deeply with humanity, read this book!

Joseph Anderson's "The Light Within" may be the first book written as
a blog. Undertaking a pilgrimage to India (to study with yoga
masters) after his father's death, Anderson promised his mother to
keep in touch with daily blogs. It's evident that the blog was
written not only to his recently widowed mother, but to himself as he
recites his daily activities in England, Paris, and, most
importantly, India. The account goes far beyond a travelogue: it is
part diary, part meditation, part exultation, moves from description
to interpretation to philosophy, even to poetry! Anderson's language
is fluid and often lyrical, even at its most spontaeous. The
narrative is most alive when he gets beyond the touristy days in
England and France and arrives in India; he spares nothing in his
deeply sensory-and deeply moral-account of this land which offers
both splendid beauty and utter degradation. The fact that he has now
begun a foundation to rescue children of Calcutta from poverty,
ignorance, filth, and disease demonstrates the powerful impact this
experience had on him, one that will be shared by sensitive readers.

Pick up Mr. Anderson's book and find a compelling travelogue through India and all-too-human emotional terrain. The writing is fluid and graceful and you will find yourself immersed in the journey of this soul. You will find a wide variety of experience on display, from the haunts of modern London to the very heart of Calcutta and beyond.

Well worth a read!

After we discovered my daugter's love for the original "Little Miss Spider", we endeavored to collect the entire series. Like the others, this one did not disappoint.

The story follows much the same formula as Kirk's other Little Miss Spider books - one that works well for these tales. Miss Spider on a quest, encounters conflict, conflict resolves in a lesson of sorts.

This is a lovely, warm little Christmas story and an enjoyable and fun read with its well-constructed rhymes, vivid colors, and endearing characters. And the hardcover version has those wonderful, durable glossy pages that hold up even to a toddler's not-so-careful page-turning techniques!

Absolutely recommended for all young readers.

In "Little Miss Spider: A Christmas Wish," Little Miss Spider finds herself without anyone to play with on Christmas Eve. She's really hoping for a new friend and so she sets out on the winter day. At first, she doesn't meet anyone, but then she comes upon Asparagus Beetle. Asparagus proves to be a great new friend, but it turns out there's something he needs too --- and Little Miss Spider is just the one to help.

This book is written in the classic "Miss Spider" rhyming style by David Kirk. The young version of Miss Spider is very cute. The illustrations alternate between full page and text pages with a small illustration.

Miss Spider is the best series. My daughter loves all the bright colors. Highly Recommended!

My 16 month old and I go to the library and get books quite often. When I read this book to her she loved it. It is hard to tell who loved it more though, my daughter or me. The colors are vibrant and the rhyme has a nice rhythm. I did not mind reading it several times a day.

This is a cute rhyming book about Little Miss Spider, her mother (Bettie Beetle), and her friend Asparagus Beetle. The story is essentially one about how much more important people are than things. It is heartwarming and Holiday appropriate.

I have to say though, that I was a bit puzzled about what was going on until I read the front flyleaf. The flyleaf provided a great deal of information about what the story was about. It explains something of Miss Spider's own adoption, and how she is missing all of her friends who are hibernating. I highly recommend you take a moment to read it with your child -at least once - before going on to the rest of the text.

The Accelerated Reading designation for this book is 3.1 which means that it is suggested for children in the first month of Third Grade. Having said that I would note that my own children had a bit of a problem with the font because it is stylized (i.e. fancy).

Vocabulary includes: boughs, beneath, Asparagus, gargoyles, frighten, cushion, and sheltering.

Four Stars. [B-] :::: The artwork is typical of Miss Spider. Color is vivid and covers the entire page. Good Read-aloud. I liked the pro-family, pro-adoption attitudes, and the fact that the vocabulary isn't babyish. The AR designation for this book is 3.1.

Pam T~

This book is all about a nice but young vampire, known simply as Little Vampire. He is surrounded by a montage of ghosts who care about him, but he has fixated on the idea of going to school, as he wants to be like a regular kid. Everyone is baffled by this notion, and they all recommend that he find some other way to spend his time. But as the only child around, he is lonely and convinces them to humor him. Off he goes to school, with a pack of school supplies (including a bottle of blood to use as ink).

Unfortunately, the school is empty, and Little Vampire is still lonely. The ghosts band together and fill the school so he can pretend he's in school, with the Captain of the Dead as the instructor. Because he wanted as real an experience as possible, Little Vampire broke the rule against being noticed by mortals, and wrote in the notebook at the desk he sat at. This process was repeated for several days. It's actually pretty funny, and fun to watch his relationship with the mortal boy sharing his desk develop. Wouldn't you love it if someone came in and did your homework every night?

But eventually, this leads to a grim situation: the mortal boy must be killed, because he knows about Little Vampire and the ghosts. However, the boy--Michael--manages to innocently change the Captain of the Dead's mind, saving himself. Little Vampire and Michael become great friends, and it's a nice thing for both of them. The rest of the story goes into a small adventure they have, with Michael getting home just before he is supposed to get up.

Overall, this is an engaging and highly amusing read, whatever your age. There are several funny and memorable characters, but more importantly it is a story with substance in the form of nice life lessons about friendship and taking responsibility. And I can't forget to mention the art: it's sharp and goofy, and overall very pleasing. Note that if you are thinking of getting this for a child in your life, the topic may be a bit morbid. Ideally, try to have a look through this book (or the other Little Vampire one, Little Vampire Does Kung Fu) first.

This was a great book for my kids, who hate the fake-scary books available. This book was totally appropriate for my 7 and 9 year old but had enough creepy grossness to keep them interested. This book was bright and funny and my only complaint was the panels were often written in cursive so it made it hard for my little one to read by himself. Wonderful illustrations and the read aloud will let you try out all you goofy accents.

Little Vampire is sensitive and fun. The artwork is terrific. I will read this with my 2 year old grandson when he is a little older. I know he will enjoy the story and ask lots of questions. Even a yougster will figure out the metaphors of the characters and plot.

I really loved the artwork, it reminded me of Edward Gorey, and the way the book is written, older children will think it's cool and funny. There is a great, simple message, but it's not didactic. As a teacher, I think boys will like this book, especially older boys who like to draw strange creatures. The cartoon style makes it very readable. What I liked most about this book is the fact that it speaks to children without talking down to them. Perhaps this is partly to do with the fact that it was originally written in French...

Little Vampire lives in a great big mansion and while he has the ability to change into a rat, a wolf, or a bat, he is a sad Little Vampire. That is because even though he does not have to follow rules and does not have to do anything he does not want to do, Little Vampire wants to go to school. The ghosts are aghast at such an idea and even his mother's reminder that he has his dog, Phantomat to play with, cannot stop Little Vampire from wanting to go to school. So one night Little Vampire and Phantomat head off to the school at the edge of town. It has a playground with swings, wooden hooks in the hallway for hanging up coats, and on each desk there is a notebook with a child's name on it. But there are no students and Little Vampire's name does not appear on any of the notebooks. Little Vampire comes to the conclusion that students only go to school in broad daylight and at night there is nobody at the school.

Now, that could be a cute little story just by itself, but that is just the opening of Joann Sfar's "Little Vampire Goes to School." The Captain of the Dead decides that if Little Vampire wants to go to school he should have the opportunity. So all of the ghosts go to school each night and the Captain teaches school. This could also be a nice payoff to this story, but we are not even halfway through, because the Captain has one rule for his class. The ghosts had to bring their own school supplies so they would not write in any of the "daytime" students' notebooks. However, Little Vampire does not care and decides he is going to write in the notebook of a student named Michael who forgot to do his homework and gets quite a surprise when his teacher makes him open his notebook to read what it is he did not write.

This is a marvelous story, originally published in France as "Petit Vampire va à l'école" (and there is even a video version of the story, which makes me jealous), and translated by Mark and Alexis Siegel. My description of the book's narrative thread ends before the halfway point and there is much more of the tale to tell (such as what you have to wear when you stand in the corner because you rely on others to do your assignments for them). Sfar matches the marvelous story with delightful drawings, which is often where such stories fall short of reaching classic status. I like the simplicity of the Little Vampire's appearance along with the wonderful look of the Captain of the Dead and many of the other ghosts.

The only downside is that Sfar refuses to tell you what a hemzalleh is even though it is very yummy and you have to stop reading the book and get on line to find out what it is (I had to do it; you have to do it). But the good news is that there are more stories about the Little Vampire and I have "Little Vampire Does Kung Fu!" sitting on the shelf to be read next and find out more about our young hero and his new friend. This book had earned five stars before I got halfway through it and it just kept going. When you read "Little Vampire Goes to School" and see how right I am pass the world along, because you certainly know someone who will love this story (no, they do not have to be of school age).

I was so happy to find this wonderful & heartwarming book. It ranks right up there with John's book "Alfie the Christmas Tree" which I am lucky enough to own also. I found this book from an "Amazon recommendation" sent to me & am so happy they did. It will be another absolutely wonderful Christmas story to go in our collection. It is charming, emotional, & very well written I would also recommend it to bring into perspective what Christmas is really all about.

This book captures the way John felt about Christmas - a time for friends and family to come together and appreciate and take care of one another. It is a peaceful time of just sharing - not commercialized gifts - but the gifts we all are for each other.

This book captures the important, simple aspects of Christmas - love among family and friends in a beautiful setting (including an animal and a song). The true story and the surprise ending are heartfelt and warm. I think the part I loved the most is Michael'selationship with his son -the time he takes to just play with him. Often young fathers are too busy or they don't know the importance of taking time to play.
I am giving this book to my grandchildren for Christmas.

"The Littlest Cowboy's Christmas"
(by Carole Romanowski - [...])

Michael Chandler's book, "The Littlest Cowboy's Christmas", is a delightful and heartwarming account of a very special Christmas Eve memory Michael and his young son, Preston, experienced with friends - John Denver and Joe Henry - to name a few! This book, in my opinion, is adapted for the reading enjoyment of children of all ages, and adults alike can enjoy it's warmth!

Praise must also be given to Terry Jacobsen who beautifully illustrated the book in a colorful and professional manner! Plus a bonus - a CD by John Denver singing all three stanzas of "Silent Night" - is included in the book and completes the warm holiday spirit of this story!

I am sure "The Littlest Cowboy's Christmas" will elicit in each one of us a special holiday memory from long ago we tucked away! Michael Chandler's book can be ordered through amazon.com and is truly a holiday treasure!

Feel the snow squeak underfoot. See your breath float on the sharp air. Smell the popcorn, cocoa, oats, carrots, hay, and evergreens. Know what it might be like for a father and his small son to share an evening of country Christmas cheer with two unusual men and another small boy, while a shaggy hoss called "Lefty" munches his Christmas pie.

Michael Chandler knows how to tell much with few words, and Terry Jacobsen's homey, colorful, honest illustrations are an integral part of this charming Christmas tale for the child in all of us, no matter what our age may be.

You don't need to be a John Denver fan to find frosty gems of peace on Earth, good will toward men between the covers of this book. The book -- plus the CD of John Denver singing "Silent Night" (included) -- will make a lovely addition to your collectibles library or your family Christmas tradition.

As a London Underground enthusiast, I just couldn't resist what this book had to offer. The sections on the history of the Underground were very informative and easy to read.
But there's more to the book than that. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. The author's conversational (and often amusing) tone lend a lightness to a subject that could otherwise be very dull. The book runs the gamut of subjects--from the underground and now mostly mysterious Fleet to the high-speed cables of British Telecom. It's all there.
This book is an excellent resource for anyone doing research, and a great read if you're fascinated by things beneath the surface.

Except for Anglophiles and London Buffs most people's knowledge of the London Underground is limited to its use as a bomb shelter during the World War II Blitz. However, the Underground existed for centuries before WWII. Chapter 1 succinctly narrates the Underground during the Blitz, and concludes stating "....to understand the full complexity of what lies under London, we must begin with her subterranean rivers."

Chapter 2 notes "There are over a hundred miles of rivers in London, fed by over a hundred springs and wells....Hidden from view, recalled only in street names...." As early as 1463 a Royal Act ordered "The covering-in of the Walbook's middle and lower reaches" vaulting and paving it over. These rivers were covered over or diverted into tunnels. Many of the rivers underground became more sewers than rivers. The text also notes "There are several lost rivers under London referred to by London's chroniclers but impossible to trace."

The text devotes several chapters to the development of underground sewers, water systems, gas pipes, trains, and later telegraph, telephone and electricity systems. The text gives captivating accounts of several engineering problems that were confronted, how they were resolved together with thumbnail sketches of the engineers and managers involved. . Tunneling under the Thames River was a major venture taking fifteen years to complete. Most intriguing is the account of The London Hydraulic Power Company founded in 1871where "Raw water (untreated) water was pumped at a pressure of 400 pounds per square inch through the miles of pipes running beneath London, and was used to raise and lower cranes, operated lifts.... theatre safety curtains, wagon hoists, even hat hat-blocking presses...." Amazingly the company survived until the mid-1970s.

As telegraph lines were developed underground, the Post Office gained control of the telegraph system and later gained control of the telephone system which they tried to suppress. As electricity developed around a national grid, distribution moved underground and by WWII was operating as a national industry. After the dropping of the first atomic bomb, the British government considered operating from the underground but by the 1960s gave up plans to fighting and surviving a nuclear war from under London. The text notes that new water and electricity tunnels characterized the 1980s and early 1990s with "The biggest capital project under London in the last ten years has been the completion of the London Ring Water Main"

This is a fascinating book and the reader will be amazed by the extensive underground systems under London that are still in use today.

This is a fantastic history of what's underneath the ground of today's London. Blending history, geography, and engineering, this book describes the smothered streams and covered rivers, the water pipes and sewers, and the tunnels under the Thames.

A major section is devoted to the London Underground - the "Tube" - and its history. The Post Office's automated mail-handling railway is briefly touched on as well.

The role of London's underground spaces during wartime is reviewed including the underground factories and the Cabinet War Rooms of the Second World War.

The book is profusely illustrated with a heavy emphasis on contemporary cut-away and explanatory drawings. The pictures make the text come alive.

A really great book for the Anglophile or London-buff.

Having spent some time in London, and being a card-carrying historian, I was already aware of the hidden Fleet River, and the government bunkers from World War II, and (of course) the Underground itself. But I'd never heard of the Little Conduit beside St. Paul's, or the pneumatic postal railway, and the 1,500-mile network of 19th-century sewers (on which the metropolitan area still depends) never entered my mind. And I don't know how safe the pedestrian tunnels under the Thames would be these days, in any case. But the authors have done an amazing job tracing a number of "lost" rivers, and scores of independent water company pipelines, and assorted arsenals and crypts and tramways. And now I have a list for my next visit to London!

It's a great book if you're interested in this sort of thing. From the early beginnings of London's sewers to the modern day tube and postal networks, this book covers it all in a remarkably easy to read fashion. Of particular interest to me were the sections on Londons 'lost' rivers as well as the Underground, both covered in this book. Highly recommended.