Clay Books

Reviewed by Madeline McElroy (age 7) for Reader Views (8/08)

I was surprised that I liked this book; I didn't even want to read it. I guess I thought it would be boring. My Mom told me we had studied this during Black History Month last year in first grade, but I didn't remember.

This book was a story about Rosa Parks, who some say started the civil rights movement because she would not give up her seat on the bus. I learned about black history and segregation. Rosa Parks probably thought it was really unfair how she and all the other black people were treated. If I was her I would feel mad!

I'm happy I read "I Am Rosa Parks.". I think it is a really good book for kids my age. It was a little hard to read with all of the big new words I learned. But it told me a lot about Rosa's life in the South when things weren't so good for black people.

This is a wonderful book for children. It teaches them about segregation, and about being brave and standing up for your ideas.
Great story...Too bad it was true.

This book was well received by our 6 yr old granddaughter. It is a book that can be read with a youngster. It captures the spirit of Rosa Parks in easily understood language.

This book is a great read for a young child...maybe K-2nd grade. It was good at laying out for the reader the life of Rosa Parks.

Rosa Parks is best remembered as the Black woman who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a White person. However, she was much more that that. She was raised by grandparents because her mother taught school in another city. Her grandfather was the child of a slave owner and a slave. Rosa was determined to make a difference for her people. She and her husband took part in supporting the Scottsboro boys, Black youth who were accused of crimes they did not commit. Rosa became secretary of the NAACP and contributed greatly to her people, eventually receiving the Congressional Gold Metal award.

I spent 14 years in education. I witnessed whole language (a strange program which was terribly implemented). The current educational fad is pure phonics (yes, a fad). Research shows that 80% of children will learn to read in spite of the method they are taught. Reading Recovery was designed as a one-on-one program for the remaining 20%. Reading Recovery depends on very strict implementation and very strict adherence to the methods presented in this book. "Reader" from NY states this is "whole language by another name". Far from it. Reading Recovery uses many proven methodologies (some phonics included); but its main emphasis is on teaching students to derive meaning from text and to build a reading system that is "self-extending"--they learn to check for meaning, word structure, etc. My wife is a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader--I watch the growth of her students and see the amazement on their teachers' faces. The book alone is a fantastic resource; however, to be truly effective a teacher should receive Reading Recovery training. As I said earlier, effective implementation of the program depends on strict adherence to Reading Recovery methodologies. Proper teacher training is critical to the success of this program.

The work of Marie Clay, as described in this book, and then the implementation of the concepts and methodology with those young students who are confused and befuddled as they begin the literacy process, has changed the lives of many of today's students and their families. One only has to look into the eyes of a Reading Recovery student who is on her way to becoming an independent reader to understand the power behind the program. Wonders of wonders as a young child holds a book in her hands and confidently reads! All of education needs more researchers like Marie Clay who look at what children can do and then design programs to help those children become highly proficient readers and writers.

I also must compliment those educators, both internationally and nationally who have taken Marie Clay's work forward in the Reading Recovery Institutes around the world and then right into our classrooms.

If you have doubts about this program contact a school district near you where Reading Recovery has been implemented. Ask to speak to students, teachers and parents.

Bravo!

I bought this book to familiarize myself with the Reading Recovery program. It opened my eyes to several things I have been doing when helping my child read which actually hinder a child's ability to decode words by themselves. Too much focus on the mechanics of reading and the letters in a word can contribute to problems when the child moves beyond the most basic reading skills.

Marie's book offers many excellent suggestions for working with a child. Her suggestions help a child grow in their reading without getting in their way. The lists of activities and skills to be acquired are helpful. We have seen tremendous progress in our child's ability to read independently since implementing the reading recovery program.

I think every parent who has a child struggling with reading could learn something from this book. I also think it would make excellent reading for any educator interested in helping their students read better.

A frightening look into the way children who can't teach themselves to read by being exposed to print, in the whole-language classroom, are remediated.With this method it is claimed you don't even have to know letters or their associated sounds to be able to read.Whole-Language was a horrible failure in California and its continuing implementation is likely to condem thousands of our children to marginal reading skills, if not total illiteracy.

Anyone one who has any doubts about the effectiveness of this method need only look at its' birthplace, New Zealand, to see how truly effective it is. Reading Recovery is a god-send for those children who need another "shot" at beginning literacy skills.

Red Clay to Richmond is a must have for your Civil War library. Proud to own it and display it on my coffee table at all times. Recommend it highly.

I am not a historical scholar, but I do know a good book when I read one. I have read thousands of books about battles and wars and this is one of the best. Most books about war glamorize the battles and heroics. However, very few deal with the cold hard reality of battle and the personal events and emotions that soldiers must face. It is this unique perspective that makes Red Clay to Richmond so rich and compelling. John Fox has done a masterful job of researching the events through countless personal letters and historical battle records and then putting them in the context of the specific events and activities of the time. This is such a rich read - I couldn't put it down!

John Fox has utilized first hand accounts from an amazing collection of letters from soldiers during the Civil War to bring history alive. I consider myself somewhat knowledgable about Civil War history but this book has enhanced that knowledge significantly. This book is full of details highlighting much about daily life and the personal struggle that the common soldier faced in this important time. He does this in a creative but accurate way that also traces the course of the war through at least seven major battles that this regiment fought in. This is a factual account that you will have trouble putting down once you start.

The 35th Georgia is one of many Confederate regiments that had a stellar combat record throughout the Civil War. Serving in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, these Georgians spilled blood in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and, of course, Virginia. They were remarkable soldiers, mostly farmers, who had signed up for what they believed were the right reasons. Their story was indeed needed to be told.

John Fox was perhaps fortunate that wartime accounts for the 35th, such as diaries, journals, and letters were not hard to find. Over the course of ten years, Fox accumulated an impressive collection of primary material that allowed the author to present a thorough history of the regiment. His research acknowledges, along with many other Civil War works, that fighting only took up a small percentage of a soldier's time-revealing that camp life was indeed the true hardship of being a soldier. Fox also describes a common occurrence among Civil War soldiers in that their belief in religion increased or became more apparent while away from home. References to God were a way of coping over the long absences from loved ones at home.

Numerous maps and photographs supplement the author's writing giving the reader a much better understanding of the Georgians struggles. Fox does a commendable job of taking the reader on a step by step journey of each battle the 35th participated in. It was very clear from the beginning that this book was well researched.

The only problem evident is Fox's apparent lack of scholarly input. Though the author convened with many Civil War scholars, his own work cannot be considered scholarly. His writing is, at times, in the passive voice, and therefore can be bland. Even if this is a well researched account of the 35th Georgia, it was not well written. Finally, this regimental history would be a welcome addition to any Civil War library if for only its impressive bibliography.

A chance encounter at a Columbus, Georgia frame shop in 1987 led to the author's 15-year odyssey that began as a small project to transcribe the letters of a Confederate private, and culminated in a history of a hard-fighting but largely unnoticed Georgia regiment. In Red Clay to Richmond, John J. Fox, III chronicles the 35th Georgia Infantry from muster to surrender, using the soldier's own words as his vehicle.

The battle record of the 35th Georgia parallels that of the Army of Northern Virginia as it fought in a brigade of A. P. Hill's division under Stonewall Jackson, and then as a component of Hill's division after Jackson's untimely death. Along the way, 1,330 men, mostly north Georgia farmers, passed through the ranks of the 35th. Five hundred twenty-three died of battle wounds or disease-a greater than 39 percent mortality rate. At Appomattox, only 15 officers and 121 men remained. Even so, the brave soldiers of the 35th Georgia could rightly boast that no enemy hand had touched their beloved banner during combat.

Fox records in detail the regiment's history: its movements, its tactical engagements with the enemy, and its evolving command structure, all related within the context of the overall Confederate strategic situation. In so doing, he also manages to weave into the fabric of the narrative vivid accounts of the soldier's lives: their fondest hopes and bitter disappointments together with their glorious exploits and awful tragedies. For example, in a letter of June 11, 1862, Private Benjamin Franklin Moody, begged his wife to send an ambrotype, for when his comrades received likenesses of their wives, he was overcome with emotion. Moody never again saw his wife or her image. He fell in battle on June 26, 1862, at Mechanicsville while protecting his regimental colors. Another private, Frank Edwards, survived the war to return home, albeit in a nearly unrecognizable and feeble condition. Captured near Petersburg on April 2, 1865, Edwards was nearly killed within ten minutes of his arrival at Point Lookout, Maryland, when he ventured too close to the prison's wooden wall.

Red Clay to Richmond is profusely illustrated with maps, portraits, and landscape scenes photographed by the author during his extensive travels to battlefield locations. A unit roster compiled from multiple sources is found among a number of appendices, the first three of which might have been incorporated into a concluding chapter or epilogue. Also included in the appendix is the transcript of the court martial of one of the regiment's first lieutenants for conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman-an interesting short story in and of itself.

The casual reader may find the quantity of information contained in Red Clay to Richmond somewhat daunting, but a reader possessed with a working knowledge of the war's people, places, and battles, will find this book to be an excellent synopsis of the war role of the 35th Georgia. The book's greatest strength, however, is the recounting of the experiences of the 35th's soldiers as they trekked through Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania before coming home.

This is a great read. I would highly recommend it to anyone anytime - a summer read, a gift...the perfect book to relax with. You lose yourself in a jungle of exotic characters and adventures. It's fantasy and reality interwoven as one. Again, a great read. Makes you think too.

VISUALLY STUNNING, RICH WITH ATMOSPHERE AND INTRIGUING CHARACTERS, INCREDIBLY UNPREDICTABLE EVENTS, FULL OF LOVE, MYSTERY, VIOLENCE, HUMOR AND FANTASY, EVEN GETS DEEPLY PHILOSOPHICAL, FEEL IT CAN BE TURNED INTO A VERY INTERESTING MOVIE

This book takes us to a magical and mystical place where people are unaffected by the outside world. Fascinating characters abound and discuss philosophy and life. One wishes she could enter the book and live in a slower time where ideas and feelings can be explored. Morgan should write more fiction.

This book takes us to a magical and mystical place where people are unaffected by the outside world. Fascinating characters abound and discuss philosophy and life. One wishes she could enter the book and live in a slower time where ideas and feelings can be explored. Morgan should write more fiction.

I loved this book. Its a fantastic, philisophical love story set in a magical location. Clay Morgan paints a very evocative picture that ultimately speaks about religion, theology, and the worthlessness of thinking too much about life.

If you love the 'Chronicles of Narnia,' you'll love 'A World Away, the Quest of Dan Clay.' Steeped in adventure, with a unique story line, this Christian adventure is destined to be a hit with Christian parents and home schooling parents, who want to offer their children wholesome literature with no inappropriate scenes or language. The story will also captivate adults, who are searching for a 'white-knuckle' suspense and adventure novel. Definitely 5 stars!

I had high hopes for this book, so desperately wanting to support good, authentic Christian fantasy writers. However, I found the dialogue unrealistic and the writing style too primitive and simplistic. Perhaps with more experience, Smith's writing will improve. (I hope!) We need more good christian fantasy writers...

I bought this book for my son. He would stay up 'til the wee hours reading. "Loved" the end. We're waiting for the next book to come out.

I really enjoyed the original story line and the way Catholicism was presented. Where the Catholic references might puzzle a non-Catholic, I think they do a great job in affirming our young Catholics out there. In my own adolescence, I remember feeling quite alone since nothing of what I saw in books, TV or movies was Catholic (not in a positive, or even accurate sense, anyway). And being devout was, well weird--even amongst fellow Catholics.

Now, about the book: it was a great idea, but I was somewhat disappointed in the execution. I'm not sure if this is because I am reading from a 37 year old mother's perspective (as opposed to the target age group--which is much younger)?

The book starts off nicely with Dan's accidental entry into a parallel world through a portal in the mysterious woods that lies outside the town's outskirts. The first third of the book is centered on his determination to find out more from the local library and the town's "crazy old guy" that supposedly entered into this world many years ago. He's convinced that this is linked to his brother's disappearance thirteen years ago. As Dan puzzles everything together, the reader is both excited and apprehensive about learning more.

When the expedition begins, the cracks begin to show. In a nutshell, there needed to be more detail. E.g., more description about the character's surroundings--other than what just the eyes see. The author could've appealed to the reader's other senses (smells, sounds, textures--and not by simply saying, "it smelled horrible" or "it felt squishy"). All of this helps the reader lose him or herself in the author's world. Has Mr. Smith spent much time in the woods?

Also, we scarcely know what our characters look like, much less what they are like--other than Jimmy is a dumb jock. Sam is a father figure. Cindy is a pretty, tough version of a guy (puh-leeze)--I say this because the author makes no distinction between the quirkiness of women and men--especially when teenagers. And Dan is a geek. Sufficient character development is necessary to allow the reader identify and sympathize with his/her heroes. What are their thoughts besides their current quest?

Some of it, and understandably so, because it is fantasy, was completely unrealistic. The chapter about the "Female Warrior" was a little too Hollywood for my taste. I don't claim to be an expert in fighting or combat, but I thought that the more successful persons who are engaged in this sort of thing have to put their emotions aside in order to focus. Cindy, in a rage, fought every one off by herself (yeah, like in a Rambo movie). I don't mean to trivialize war, but I think of it like sports, or a parent tending to a child in an emergency; if a person is enraged (as is the case here) or panicked, his or her judgment can become clouded. Cool heads prevail in these situations.

The adventure part of the book is not terrible, even if just play-by-play. Much of the deeper part of the story is revealed up front, which is another shortcoming. I think giving too much away too soon keeps the reader from wanting more. Plus the author doesn't let the reader know much more afterwards. So there is little suspense other than what creature is to be encountered next. The chapters begin and end without much suspense.

The reader isn't let in on the parts where the characters "talk late into the night," or "discuss (something) at length." I was really disappointed in not knowing what they thought about what happened when the holy water spilled. All of this gives the books a superficial feel.

Maybe I would've felt the same way if I had read this as a teen...? I found myself forcing myself to finish the book (although the end picks up and gets interesting).

I will probably get this for my kids since it is a wonderfully novel plot. It is wholesome, without the base language or behavior that other books resort to to attract readers. It is a good message.

Finally, I do want to support the author in his effort to combat the allure of novels with occultism or atheistic themes that are appealing to our young. My hope is that the author will work on his weaknesses for the next one. Hang in there, Mr. Smith!

P.S. I know this is terribly secular, and this author is not trying to be another Tolkien, or Lewis, or whomever, but I read a Robert Jordan series (Wheel of Time) many years ago. I never finished (got to book six or seven and was tired of the author's seemingly determination to not want to finish--plus I didn't like where it was heading), but one thing that appealed to me was the way the Jordan seemed to understand the gender differences in communication, miscommunication, etc. Perhaps Smith wouldn't mind checking out just one of his books?

A World Away: The Quest of Dan Clay: Book One Choosing Christmas gifts for my 13 year old grandson and 16 year old Godson has become more challenging. Both young men enjoy fantasy video games as well as reading, but I had no idea how to go about finding the most entertaining and constructive fiction for this age group. When I first heard Mr. Smith discuss his book on Catholic radio, I had a feeling it would fill the bill for both boys. I bought 3 copies as I too wanted to read the book. I was extremely impressed with the elements of suspense which caused me to read much later into the night than usual. It sparked my imagination by using vivid characters and an unusual story line. Not only did I greatly enjoy the book, but both teenagers, who received the book from me for Christmas, enjoyed it so much that they said they are now anxiously awaiting the publication of Mr. Smith's next book. It is my hope that Book Two is available before Christmas 2008. It would save me a lot of shopping time!!

I read this book over ten years ago when my wife and I were doing a big road trip through the south of the US. We were 'stranded' in New Orleans for a couple of weeks waiting for a cheap hire car return to come up and wiled away the time eating great food and checking out all the amazing things happening there daily.

One of the things we did was go to a film screening of an obscure documentary 'he must have something' on the Shaw case by a local amateur documentary maker. The JFK movie had just come out so it was topical at the time but we had no idea there was any connection between New Orleans and the Kennedy assassination so it was all news to us.

The film was great, a documentary that follows the book closely along similar lines with interviews of witnesses, lawyers, the judge etc. I wish I could get hold of it, but sadly I dont think it has ever been released. Like the book, it doesnt have much to say on the assassination, but a lot to say about the American legal system in the context of Louisiana and New Orleans.

At the screening the filmmaker recommended this book and we bought it later that day. My wife and I spent the next week or so reading it out to each other and we both loved it. We were both practicing lawyers at the time and could really relate as common lawyers from a very similar (but foreign)jurisdiction to the real life drama of the US legal process in action.

I particularly liked the judge in the case, because he was a pretty colourful character in a lot of ways, as many lawyers are, but was despite this highly principled in his execution of his duties and incapable of allowing unsound evidence to be admitted. To my mind the judge and jury were the real heros of the book because they came to the right result in the face of a lot of confusion and pressure.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the jury system and also New Orleans. Lawyers will particularly like it for its gritty and realistic protrayal of the law in action. Also, anyone else who likes a great non fiction read will find plenty to enjoy. I put this up as one of my favourite non fiction books of all time along with others greats like 'The Guns of August', 'Barbarians at the Gates' and 'The Hitler Diaries'. Really first rate.

This is the best account of the debacle known as the "Trial of Clay Shaw".
A completely innocent man essentially ruined by a messianic, paranoid, out of control DA known as Jim Garrison. This book is James Kirkwood's firsthand, contemporary account of this sordid affair, and is simply a delight to read. The most important book of this sad chapter in American jurisprudence...

This book is very well written as you would expect from a well known author and playright such as Mr. Kirkwood, however it is very one sided as anyone who reads this with an open mind will notice. Upon researching this book I came across the information that Mr. Kirkwood wrote this book at the request of a friend to whom the book was dedicated, who was originally requested to do a positive report of the trial by Clay Shaw himself. This neutralized any information I read and made me consider it an interesting work of fiction.

Author and playwright, James Kirkwood doesn't concern himself with ballistics, badge men and grassy knolls. He's not concerned with whether or not Oswald acted alone, or if he acted at all. In his eye-opening book, "American Grotesque: An Account of the Clay Shaw-Jim Garrison Affair in the City of New Orleans", Kirkwood is a court room witness of the case against Clay Shaw. In the process, he interviews several key players, including Clay Shaw, Jim Garrison, Perry Russo, and Judge Haggerty. The result is quite the opposite of the case as presented in Stone's film "JFK" or Garrison's book, "On the Trail of the Assassins". In Kirkwood's book, the case against Shaw is nothing less than a shame and a shameless persecution of an innocent man. Kirkwood doesn't pretend to hide his allegience to Shaw, but he allows the reader to draw his/her own conclusion. Fortunately, the outrage and sadness he feels about the case is hedged with a lot of humor and good old fashioned sarcasm. His parenthetical comments are brilliant!

Unfortunately, this book is out of print. However, try to pick up a used copy here, while they are still available.

James Kirkwood, novelist, exposes the nuttiness of Garrison's chuckleheaded jihad against Clay Shaw. Mr. Shaw, respected, liberal, a gentleman, found himself indicted for conspiracy to kill a president for whom he voted. The nightmare he endured, which left him in near penury, is recounted here. How can such a man endure a trial with witnesses against him who include psychotics, drug addicts, and those who think they have been hypnotised several hundred times by besmirchers of their sex lives? And how can such a man keep his own sanity after such an ordeal? Find out in this excellent book, brilliantly written with humor and pathos. The account given in "On the Trail of the Assassins" by Garrison himself leaves out a few details; this account, written by one who attended the trial daily (unlike Garrison), is detailed and amusing and....well, sane. Buy this for the truth.

This is the best researched and comprehensive treatment on Blood Covenant that I have seen.

In researching the literature on blood covenants, the subject of my Master's thesis, I was struck by the dearth of scholarly research on this subject. Most books on this subject were rather shallow, with no real depth to them and little in the way of scholarly input. Dr. Trumbull's classic on the subject of the blood covenants was like a breath of fresh spring air in a very stiffling room. Here was the in-depth scholarship so lacking in the other works reviewed. It seems that no one, in the last hundred years or so has been able to out-perform this classic treatment of the blood covenant. It is not easy reading, but is full of the best scholarship I have found anywhere on this subject.

This author not only explains completely and thoroughly blood covenants in the Bible, but also explains blood covenants in different cultures. An in-depth look at blood covenants throughout history is explored. If you want a complete and concise book on blood covenants, this is it. It tends to be very wordy and is not an easy read. This is a book your reading to study, not enjoy or be ministered with.

This book is based on a three lecture series that Dr. Trumbull delivered on June 16-18 in 1885 to the Episcopal Divinity School in Philadelphia, PA. That no other book in the past 117 years, on the subject of the Blood Covenant, has equalled or surpassed this book in thoroughness or in scholarship is mute testimony to this book's classic position as THE definitive book on the subject of the Blood Covenant. Dr Trumbull traces the origins of the Blood Covenant, as practiced worldwide, to an early Oriental home in ancient human history (p 57). Along the way, he has shown the development of this covenant from a crude form of uniting two humans or a human and a Divine entity in an unbreakabke bond to a highly stylized rite among the peoples of the world. This book is a must for every Pastor or teacher who wishes to understand the very Covenant that is the underpining of the Christian faith.

This book is definately worth reading as it is VERY thorough in its research on blood covenant with the Bible and ancient peoples. HOWEVER- what I disagree with - is what Mr. Trumbull semms to infer is that God uses blood covenant as it is something ancient people would understand ( similar to God using agricultural metaphors throughout Bible) RATHER than GOD initiated Blood covenant ( and it started w/ Adam and Eve- animals being killed to cover their sin ( animal skins to cover their nakedness rather than leaves- and Mr. Trumbull starts with Cain and Abel- skipping the Adam-Eve record which I find puzzling))It would seem the ancients use and knowledge of blood covenant COULD be the devil counterfeiting/ or distracting from GOD's blood covenant ,God's intention and importance of the PROPER sacrificial blood- Old an NEW testament.
What I found helpful is /was all the ancients knowledge of blood covenant. As modern society- is very 'bloodless" and I don't the modern Christian church really gets it on blood covenant- what a HUGE deal it is- and the blood of Christ. This book will help with this. It is very scholalrly in tone-but worth the work to read it.

My impression after the first time I read this book "WOW", my impression after the second time I read this book "WOW - WOW", etc..

After I finished the final chapter everything in the book just seemed like common sense. As a shooter, I have thought the same things that were written for years but could never made heads-or-tails out of the information. Mark (the author) is very smooth in his ability to convey seemingly complex topics and put all the pieces of the mental puzzle on the table.

My final comment is, tell me when the sequel is so I can be the first in line to buy it - at any price!

After reading this book I have one message to other shooters/readers: Buy this book, read it once, read it again, practice what it says than read the book again in 30 days.

The author does a great job of bringing difficult psychological concepts into simple understandings. While most other books, which only donate a single chapter to mental training, are written like a textbook - this author writes like he is talking directly to you. His straightforward writing style makes the book hard to put down once you start reading it.

I am currently a B-22-C trapshooter and after reading this book I feel like I have boosted my confidence such that I should be ready to move up the next class this season. I recommend this book highly.

PS. Don't loan it out to others... you will have a hard time getting it back - I know from experience.

While there are few books on the subject of clay target shooting, I feel this one is the best. Most other books devote the majority of the text to the physical fundamentals of shooting, assuming that the reader knows and understands the psychological part of the sport. This book takes a different tact, exploring in detail areas of shooting that are not often discussed and/or understood. This book was a great investment; I believe that I gained a couple of targets just from putting to use the organizational skills described. I rate it a 9.5 MDF-Denver, CO

It is true that this is one of a very few books that actually address the mental aspects of shooting. However, I could not get over the fact that either this book was not edited, or the editor did not speak English.

This book is without a doubt the most poorly written book I have ever purchased. The concepts and material, especially relating issues to different levels of ability, is great stuff. The spelling, grammar, and verb tense errors were hard to believe. Someone should take a look at editing and republishing this book.

Having shot clay targets for a few years.The ideas in the book were not out of the blue.The author just layed it out in a clear manner. I especially liked the way in which he list the different level of shooters.So you can get a better feel where you are and what you need to train on.....I would recomend this book to anyone who wants to inprove their score in any of the clay target sport...It is not written for a golfers eyes it is written in a shooters eyes. So the visualization process is easier to see the point ans the Targets turn to Dust.

This book is an excellent reference source for working in papier mache and paper clay. The photos and instructions are very detailed. I have recommended this book many times and bought it as a gift. Beautiful photos and lots of inspiration.

I'm not really interested in Paper MacHe but I've been a dollmaker for quite some time and am very interested in learning more about Paperclay. There is another book that is supposedly the best for Paperclay - "Sculpting Doll in Paperclay" by Robert McKinley but it's sold out and difficult to find - so I opted for this one. I found this book to be fairly similar in techinique to many other dollmaking books in other media. There wasn't all that much that made it stand apart. I guess if you're very interested in Paper MacHe, then this is the book for you. If you're wanting to learn more about Paperclay techniques, skip this book and look for the one by McKinley instead.

I am new to doll-making but not paper mache. I found I was moving to dolls and came across this book. It's very good technically and the photos are excellent. The methods are great and well thought out and explained. I have just begun playing with the paper clay product and this gives it a good testimonial. Good job! Also, Ms. Gottilly's dolls are fabulous!

This book is illustrated with many magnificent and easily followed directions. You can really make a doll that is more meaningful then all others because you have made it with your own hands. The authors step by step instructions are so simple to follow! Your finished product is your own masterpiece, thanks to Doris. Bravo, Doris.

DOLLMAKING WITH PAPIER MACHE & PAPER CLAY HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED MY IDEA OF HOW TO BOOKS. THIS BOOK IS NOT ONLY HOW TO MAKE DOLL CRAFTS, BUT HAS OTHER BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS TO MAKE; SUCH AS A LARGE 26" RABBIT & AN ADORABLE GOAT.COMPLETE,EASY TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN. I LOVE THIS BOOK.

This book will definately inspire you to try making a few of these critters designed by a very talented clay artist. My favorites are Rocky Raven - and Cocoa Moose!

I look forward to the next book this author puts out!

-CP

This book will definately inspire you to try making a few of these critters designed by a very talented clay artist. My favorites are Rocky Raven - and Cocoa Moose!

I look forward to the next book this author puts out!

-CP

this book does not even compare to other books on clay projects. It apparently hides behind a couple of religious quotes as a reason to over-charge for a minimal treatment of polymer clay projects.

This book is a must-have for people of all ages who enjoy working with polymer clay. The instructions for making cute critters in this book are very easy to follow, and fun!

My favorites are Rocky Raven and Cocoa Moose.

I can't wait for Joshua's next book!

If mom's are allowed to write a review, I would like to encourage other moms to work with their kids and help them achieve their dreams and goals in life. I am very proud of Joshua, and how far he has come in the 3 years he has been sculpting and teaching others. Joshua's book is excellent in design, lay-out, color, and easy to understand instructions for kids and adults. Joshua has even taught kids with learning disabilities to sculpt with wonderful results. If you are an amateur or a pro at sculpting, Joshua's book will be a delight to all who try their hand at his adorable critters.