Holidays Books

I love the authenticity of the stories in this book. To my knowledge, it is the first book with a healing theme that has been written with a therapist's voice giving support and explaining and breaking down issues throughout. It has universal appeal and, though it continues to be the best book on sex abuse for teenage girls, it is really appropriate to anyone healing from abuse. I am a psychotherapist and I give this book to my clients of all ages, who all heal through reading it.

Invisible girls is a great book. I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and even as an adult I found it very helpful. I am also the Founder&CEO of Safe Girls Strong Girls a 501 (c) 3 committed to Breaking the Silence on Childhood Sexual Abuse. I give this book to all girls that attend our programs. It is a great resource and allows teen girls to see that they are not alone. Terrific read and a great resource. I highly recommend it.

This book turned my life around. As a survivor of rape and abuse, I had developed many unhealthy habits such as denial and isolation. After reading this book, I felt connected to a larger community and was finally able to get some help! The stories of the girls in this book are so personal and so touching that it is easy to find strength in their struggle to heal.

But the real power of this book for me is that the individual accounts of abuse and survival are used as examples to support the chapters on each kind of abuse. These chapters are filled with information about the abuse, understanding of the typical response (did you count? detach? act out? It's all ok here.), and advise on how to work through the memories of the experience.

I would recommend this book not only to any girl who has suffered abuse, but also to anyone who knows someone who has suffered. It will help you understand the pain and bring a very hidden problem into the open where it can be fought.

I am a clinical social worker in Louisiana. This book has been helpful for several of my clients. The book includes several girls' stories, which have helped to normalize my clients' experiences. It also includes a question/answer section that seems to cover many topics that teenage girls may be afraid to ask themselves. I also found the "Resource Center" at the end of the book helpful. Dr. Patti has a website and is resposive to questions via that site.

I appreciate what Dr. Patti is trying to do here. I do. However, this book is laden with the myths and stereotypes survivors are fighting to overcome in their everyday life. I was extremely disappointed when I read this. The author practically says that "Date Rape" (also known as acquaintance rape, which is by far the more correct term--look up statistics if you're interested in what I mean) is often preventable. This again places the onus on potential victims/survivors to make sure they aren't assaulted. So often, those wo haven't survived a rape or assault are told they shouldn't have had that last drink, or worn a short skirt, or done ANYTHING that could have potentially put them at risk. No one ever mentions that it is a perp's decision to assault someone. She seemed to say that it wasn't the survivor's fault while simultaneously contending that rape can be prevented--and that if you put yourself in a certain position, you were in some way implicitly involved in your own assault.

She also "rates" abuse and assault. While this may seem innocent (Incest, for example, is "the deepest cut"--or wound--it's been awhile since I read it), it implies that other experiences are somehow less damaging. Isn't it more important to support all survivors than to somehow rank their experience and trauma? Who can do that, and why would we want to? Also, the ONLY example of child on child sexual interaction is in terms of "playing doctor." While it is important to differentiate normal exploration and abuse, Dr. Patti fails to include in her book an example of NONconsensual sexual interaction between children. This further promotes the idea that child on child sexual abuse cannot when occur when it can and does.

I could barely make it through this one. I wish her the best of luck, but this book really didn't do it for me. There are others out there that are much better.

This is a great book!! The stories are a wonderful collection for anyone who was a child OR adult during this time frame. If not read it anyway, it's very enjoyable to read. I took this book on a flight to Denver and had many people as me where I got it.

This book brings back memories of Christmas past. It is informative and entertaining. I gave this as a gift to four different people and got a copy for myself.

This book was an incredible walk down Memory Lane! I couldn't put it down. For all those reminiscing and hungry for "how it used to be" I highly recommend this book!

I bought this book for my mom (81 years old), and it brought back amazing memories for her from her teenage years through the first 20 years of her marriage. The package of ornaments shown on page 11 is the identical one my parents had bought (which we still have - most of them, anyway!). She (and I) enjoyed it so much, I also got copies for my aunt and a family friend of the same age as my mom. They both loved the book, and talked of all the memories it brought back for them, as well. It's a fun book that wil bring back memories for anyone who lived through those years.

I bought this book last year and again this year sat down to enjoy the wonderful photos. It brought back wonderful memories of a time before consumer advocacy when we used lead and fiber glass all over our homes, and especially during the holidays when we pulled out the painted ornaments (and ashtrays and candy dishes and ceramic figurines of Santa and the Baby Jesus) and angel hair for the tree. I can still feel the itching as I write this :-)

I highly recommend this book for anyone who remembers Christmas anywhere between 1940 and 1965. It brought back some lovely memories (aside from the itching).

Elizabeth types a gift for Jessica for Christmas about their 7th Birthday,and Jessica thinks Elizabeth is selfish.Elizabeth also throws in concert tickets to Johnny Buck.When Grandma and Grandpa Robertson come over they give the twins Harequin dolls and solve the riddle to the puzzle and their medallions.The dolls become real princes named Adair and Dorain.Their kingdom is under a spell of Medwin,an evil Socerer.Adair,Dorain[both twins and Elizabeth and Jessica, freed them from the doll spell Medwin put them under,have to along with Elizabeth and Jessica have to use magic to defeat Medwin.You'll never guess where Medwin ends up when defeated.

When Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield give each other perfect present for each other, they argue about who is being selfish. This leads to the dolls.
To help stop arguing, their grandparents give them twins dolls! Dolls are for babies, the think. Then when they solve a riddle, magic unfolds. An evil sorcerer and two princes are the main focus. Will the twins ever get back to Sweet Valley? And more important - will they ever see each other again?

I read this book about a year ago. A friend lent it to me and I loved it! I then sadley realized that it was out of print. But, I love it so much, I've been thinking of buying it used.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

The writer's imagination was working very well when she invented this marvellous fantasy,one to rival Enid Blyton.At Christmas time,Elizabeth and Jessica (identical twins) follow their dolls,which have come to life,into a vortex that transports them to a strange and scary land.Meet monsters,mermaids,unicorns and one meeeean wizard.Will the twins make it back to the world they know?To do so,they will have to pass the ultimate test.

I probably first read this book 6 or 7 years ago, but I make a point of reading it every year since then around Christmas time. I'm 19 now, and I still find this book extremely entertaining. When I was 12, this book inspired me to write a fantasy book. I'm still working on revising it to this day. I would recommend The Magic Christmas not only to Sweet Valley fans, but also to any fan of magic or fantasy.