Cats Books

Author Shawn Kovacich has exploited an important niche in his "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series of martial arts instructional texts.

Shawn is quoted as saying "In an unarmed self-defense encounter, your kicking skills or lack thereof, can be the deciding factor between victory and defeat. In today's society, kicking is not only used more frequently, but it also ranks as perhaps the most versatile and underrated weapon that you have in your arsenal." I agree with him.

I found "Crescent Kick" (volume 4 of 10 in the series) to be so highly detail oriented that it overcame any presupposition of dryness and boredom to which I initially attributed to it. In short, I was "hooked." Laid out in terms that the novice can easily follow and the practicing martial artist can incorporate into his or her regimen, Shawn starts out with the historical background of the Crescent Kick and then introduces the reader to the physical and physiological body movements and mechanics associated with the kick.

Providing tips on conditioning and training, Shawn demonstrates foot movement by foot movement the Crescent Kick's basic principles and then introduces the primary Back Leg Crescent Kick to his audience and follows with eleven variations; (some of which I have never even heard of!).

Shawn demonstrates the principles of each kick with clear photographs that leave nothing to the imagination. Fortifying the text with chapters on "Warm Up and Stretching," "Training and Practice Methods," "Trouble Shooting Guide," and "Kicking Applications," to name a few, Shawn provides the reader with more than a full understanding of what could and mistakenly be known as a "simple kick."

Totally complete at 208 pages, and chocked with all sorts of valuable information from the "nuts and bolts" of technique description and demonstration to body dynamics, this is without a doubt the "gold standard" by which any examplar of martial arts kicking should be judged by.

This book can stand alone or be incorporated within the series. I rate it at five stars without hesitation or reservation. Well done!

I have just finished reading the last two books in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. Yes, I know, the Crescent Kick and Reverse Crescent Kick books are actually books #4 and #5 in the series. I read them out of order, which is another good thing about the series; you can read any of the books in any order that you wish. They do not follow a specific pattern, although knowing Kovacich's attention to detail, he had a specific reason behind the order of each book. Which brings me to my next point.

This book leaves nothing out. It follows the same basic format as all the other books in the series. It covers everything including the anatomy of the leg, stretching, vital targets, foot positioning, timing, distancing, and the importance of correct recoil. Shawn Kovacich covers variations on the crescent kick which I haven't considered before, and I have been studying martial arts for 25 years. He also delves into training drills, weight training, speed training, and covers several ways to develop your kicking power.

Crescent Kick is very well written and easy to follow. So many of the technical martial arts books are so dry and boring that is is a struggle to get through them, but Kovacich uses a lot of analogies and great photographs which makes his books interesting and easy to follow. I especially found the "did you notice anything wrong photographs" and the trouble shooting section to be very helpful. The pictures really helped to drive home specific points and demonstrated specific mistakes, as well has how a good crescent kick should look.

Shawn Kovacich obviously knows his stuff! Kovacich's having earned a 4th degree black belt in both karate and Tai Kwon Do, and holding world records for endurance kicking is proof of his expertise, but sometimes this doesn't translate into the ability to relate that knowledge to others. In Kovacich's case, he has the expertise and the talent to put his knowledge into writing in a way which everyone can relate to.

I am totally impressed with Kovacich's attention to detail and passion about his subject. The whole Achieving Kicking Excellence series is well done and I highly recommend this book, as well as the whole series, to every martial artist who wants to improve his or her kicking skills. Buy it. Read it. Study it. Apply it!

Dr. Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

Like all the titles in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series, book 4 Crescent Kick is a comprehensive study of one of the important kicks used in modern martial arts today. The book is incredibly thorough with numerous photos demonstrating the every aspect of the kick in minute detail. Mr. Kovacich knows his stuff and it is obvious that he has spent many hours honing his technique. The book provides an in-depth study of the bones, muscles and mechanics involved in the kicking technique.

In addition, the book contains a wealth of supplemental information on strength, speed and power generating exercises to enhance the technique. There is also a section on stretching as well as the application of the technique.

This book is ideal for any martial artist who wishes to perfect their crescent kicking ability. The beginner will find a wealth of information to assist in developing proper mechanics while the advanced practitioner will glean some vital knowledge from an accomplished teacher.

Be sure to check out the other books in this series. You are sure to find one that addresses the specific kick that you need work on.

Aaron Hoopes
author of Zen Yoga: A Path to Enlightenment through Breathing, Movement and Meditation

The fourth volume of Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series is Crescent Kick, and like the first three it is an excellent resource regarding this specific kick. Like other books in this series, Kovacich wrote a text with detailed explanations on the execution and application of the crescent kick and its variations. Also like the others in the series, this is the most complete written description with photographs of the crescent kick that I know of, and is an excellent addition to any martial artist's library. It will be especially beneficial to those that teach the crescent kick and variations in their curriculums.

The author, Shawn Kovacich, set two world records for endurance high kicking that were certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, and has an impressive record in the tournament circuit having competed in tournaments such as the Sabaki Challenge among others. With those credentials, I expect him to provide solid instruction on the execution and application of kicks, and he definitely delivers.

Crescent Kick includes brief chapters on basic anatomy, warm up and stretching, strength, speed, and power. Many martial artists, especially instructors, will have more complete references on these topics. However, it is nice to have these brief chapters that have the basics all in one volume, especially for those that do not have a large martial art library. I feel it is important that Kovacich includes these if for nothing more than to introduce the basics and encourage the reader to seek out more instruction on these important elements to kicking. I have said the same thing about the other volumes in the series, but include it here as well to make this review stand on its own.

The reason to include this book in your library is for the instruction on the crescent kick. Kovacich starts out with a very good description of the basic principles of movement for the crescent kick including target areas. He then delivers an excellent description with pictures of how to perform the back leg crescent kick. I don't think a person could give a better explanation with pictures in written form than Kovacich does here. I also like that he uses a clock face to help describe the motion and positioning of the kick. I thought this was a very good way to deliver his information to the reader. The next chapters teach variations of the back leg crescent kick including: Step-Back Crescent Kick, Back Spin Crescent Kick, Spin Back Crescent Kick, Hop/Slide Forward Crescent Kick, Hop/Slide Backward Crescent Kick, Front Leg Crescent Kick, Switch Crescent Kick, Off-Setting Crescent Kick, Cross-Over Crescent Kick, Butterfly Crescent Kick, and the Back Spin Crescent Kick (with the left leg).

Kovacich includes training and practice methods, a trouble shooting guide, and crescent kick applications in subsequent chapters. This rounded out the book to make it a complete stand alone volume on the crescent kick, and by far the best resource out there on this difficult technique.

One of the things I really enjoy in this series of books is the note section. Each chapter has notes and in these you find excellent gems of wisdom. Not only will they help your kicking on the described kick, but are relevant to other kicks too. I might not agree with every one of his notes, such as your first line of defense being kicks, since I believe it really depends on the situation. However, the all make you think, and some are right on, such as one in this volume that states: "For optimum results upon impact, you must use a combination of proper technique, along with an explosive combination of speed and strength." I wrote about similar issues in the kicking chapter I wrote in Fighter's Fact Book 2 with Loren Christensen when I said to kick `em hard and kick `em fast.

Like the other books in this series, a person could criticize this text regarding the repetitiveness of some of the pictures and descriptions of the wheel kick variations. If you are reading this book straight through cover to cover, yes, the repetitiveness could become boring. If you are using the text as Kovacich intended, as a learning tool, this should not be a factor. I much rather have each kick explained in its entirety, rather than be referred to a different part of the book for the elements that are similar or the same. There is a big difference in a book intended to be read from cover to cover and a book intended as a resource guide. The Achieving Kicking Excellence series are guide books, and the format is perfect for this kind of instruction.

Shawn Kovacich's Crescent Kick is the fourth book of the series and an excellent instructional text for any student or instructor of the kicking arts. Its detailed descriptions and photographs are clear and easy to understand, while his kicking notes provide quality instruction and advice to improve one's training and execution of this important kick. I am definitely looking forward to future volumes in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series

Achieving Kicking Excellence

If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.

The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.

The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.

There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.

The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.

Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)

My review is simple. I like using Amazon because it is easy, fairly priced and the order comes quickly. If there is a mistake Amazon does not hassle you. What else would I want. It's all simple.

Robert R. Hilger
Princeton, NJ

I purchased this for my 10 year old daughter, hoping to get her interested in starting to read more nonfiction. She loved the book and read it all in three sittings. It must be very well written, because I saw her engrossed in it for hours at a time.

This is a must have for any historian. I loved the book. I was able to use it for my recent bibliography for college. There was a lot of little tidbits that I did not see elsewhere.

I learned that eleanor roosevelt was a very kind loving person who had a very odd child hood, she was known as the ugly duckling.Her mother did not treat her right and made eleanor afraid of everything.
Personaly, I think that this information was very helpful and would be grate to do a scool project on. this book had lots of pictures that gave wonderful information and were very deitailed, and showed me how to eleanors life was when she was a kid. I also learned that that eleanor loved her father very much, more that enything, and he loved her just as much. eleanor was an orffan at age ten because her whole family died of yellow fever. as I said before this book has a lot of amazing pictures [194]and about half of them showed eleanor and her father together.
I enjoued this book alot and I think you will to. the only thing is I would not try to read this book in one week because it is pretty long. Something I liked about this book is that it gives lots of details and is very factual. I also recomend this book if you like a traditional paper back book. I highly think this book is agreat book for a school project, like I did it on a biograghy. I hope you wil llearn as much as I did reading this amazing historical book, Eleanor roossevelt.

This Newbery Honor Book, subtitled "A Life of Discovery," covers Eleanor Roosevelt's life in 11 chapters and nearly 200 pages. The biography covers Roosevelt's childhood, education, courtship, marriage and motherhood, entrée into politics alongside her husband, and her humanitarian work independent of FDR. The text itself is straightforward and easy to read, presented in a scholarly fashion rather than the sort of fictionalized manner of some biographies. While certain events are dramatized, no dialog is invented - the words the reader encounters are those of the figures themselves, from journals, letters, and speeches. The best passages are the friendly and informative explanations offering children some background knowledge about the time, such as this account of courtship at the turn of the century, seamlessly woven into the chapter on "Cousin Franklin":

Of course, Eleanor and Franklin were never alone together. That would have been highly improper in those formal Victorian days. When Eleanor visited Hyde Park or Campobello, when she met Franklin in New York for lunch or tea, even they went riding in the Roosevelt carriage, a third person was always present. If a relative wasn't available, Eleanor's maid served as a chaperone (38).

These frequent explanations offer the reader a broader insight into time, describing the conventions of the era in order to later set Roosevelt's often unconventional views and activities in contrast. This treatment gives young readers a strong sense of why Roosevelt is worthy of special attention. The text is accompanied by more than 100 black and white photographs, both formal portraits and informal candid views of Roosevelt. Overall, the book focuses on Roosevelt's life as a public figure, though does not shy away from intensely personal matters such as her father's alcoholism, her adolescent insecurities, and even her husband's infidelity. In this way, Freedman manages to create a very intimate portrait of the woman herself and to make a larger-than-life figure, with a highly privileged background seem very real and accessible. Although Freedman's tone clearly indicates an admiration for his subject, the book does not idolize her, often drawing attention to her faults such as her lack of her tenderness as a mother when her children were very young (acknowledged by her son). The book concludes with a photo album, bibliography, and index. The book is readable from beginning to end and usable as a reference for exploration of specific events or issues from Roosevelt's life. Children will likely come to this book because of a classroom assignment, but in the process will certainly be entertained and inspired.

Purchased recently to help my work in an Emergency clinic. The book is an excellent collection of conditions commonly encountered in a busy ER clinic set up.Very comprehensive, informative.
Each condition is described very professionally from description of the condition-diagnosis-prognosis-treatment including the description for many procedures used in the treatment.Doses of medications is very informative.

Repetitions are to be avoided; example-the procedure for "gastric lavage" is repeatedly described in detail under all conditions that possibly require a gastric lavage.Instead of this the general procedure for gastric lavage could have been described at one place and reference to that page can be given on all conditions requiring a gastric lavage.This can save a lot of pages of print.

A few demonstrations of how to calculate a CRI would be very helpful.
Inclusion of color pictures illustrations can save a lot of space in describing the procedures.

Inclusion of common toxins and antidote is helpful.

This is a great book for reference for my classes, and would be really helpful in an emergency clinics.

I have worn out the first edition, which is just under 300 pages. This book is about twice the size but has more than 2X the info because the type is smaller. This is the book I often use daily to get me through poisonings, trauma and more. Each problem has the treatment completely listed, you do NOT have to page back and forth to find drugs, procedures, etc. Buy it, I'm glad I did!

Great book for an emergency practice or just to review the occasional emergency problem. Definitely worth buying. Also, worth updating from the first edition.

I have purchased several reference texts on emergency medicine over the years - this is by far the best - well organized and (quickly)readable.

Another great experience buying a child's book through Amazon. Books received timely and as advertised. My granddaughter loves the books. I read to her every night. I like them to. Grandpa Jim

This is a good ficton book. That's what I think. It has a good cover It was a good story, and it is especially funny when Flea popped out of Gray's head. Then they had to teach her how to fly. It didn't seem so exiting that Bullsnake was not moving. But it got exciting when he moved. This book has great excitement in it! I hope you have this GREAT Book like me!

This book is about a cat that adopts a baby bird that has fallen out of it`s nest because the cat, Gray, doesn't like to eat birds. (Whoever heard of a cat that doesn't like to eat birds?) And when the bird (Gray calls Flea) goes south for the winter Gray is sad because she taught her how to fly.

I thought this book was funny.

It might have taken me a little while to read this book, but it was fabulous. There wasn't a part that I really liked the best because I enjoyed the whole book. If you like cats, birds and funny stories you will love this book.

My nine-year old daughter loved this book. The Wallace's tell this story from the animal's perspective, and do so with great success. Being country-dwellers, and animals owners, we could totally relate to all of their thoughts and antics. Gray, the new cat, along with Callie, the older (and wiser) cat, and their yard-mate Bullsnake share their lives with Mama Bird, Papa Bird and their babies. Find out what happens to Flea, the baby bird, when he takes comfort on top of Gray's head! Find out what happens when Gray visits the barn full of rats! The illustrations add much to the story.

Author Shawn Kovacich has exploited an important niche in his "Achieving Kicking Excellence" series of martial arts instructional texts.

Shawn is quoted as saying "In an unarmed self-defense encounter, your kicking skills or lack thereof, can be the deciding factor between victory and defeat. In today's society, kicking is not only used more frequently, but it also ranks as perhaps the most versatile and underrated weapon that you have in your arsenal." I agree with him.

I found "Front Kick" (volume 6 of 10 in the series) to be so highly detail oriented that it overcame any presupposition of dryness and boredom to which I initially attributed to it. In short, I was "hooked." Laid out in terms that the novice can easily follow and the practicing martial artist can incorporate into his or her regimen, Shawn starts out with the historical background of the Front Kick and then introduces the reader to the physical and physiological body movements and mechanics associated with the kick.

Providing tips on conditioning and training, Shawn demonstrates foot movement by foot movement the Front Kick's basic principles and then introduces the primary Back Leg Front Kick to his audience and follows with eleven variations; (some of which I have never even heard of!).

Shawn demonstrates the principles of each kick with clear photographs that leave nothing to the imagination. Fortifying the text with chapters on "Warm Up and Stretching," "Training and Practice Methods," "Trouble Shooting Guide," and "Kicking Applications," to name a few, Shawn provides the reader with more than a full understanding of what could and mistakenly be known as a "simple kick."

Totally complete at 224 pages, and chocked with all sorts of valuable information from the "nuts and bolts" of technique description and demonstration to body dynamics, this is without a doubt the "gold standard" by which any examplar of martial arts kicking should be judged by.

This book can stand alone or be incorporated within the series. I rate it at five stars without hesitation or reservation. Well done!

If you desire to take your kicking to the next level, Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series is the most detailed set of written work on kicking available. "Front Kick," the sixth volume in this series takes an in-depth look at the front kick and ten of its variations. Just as the other books in this series, it is an outstanding reference on this particular kick and contains an enormous wealth of information on the application of this primary kick that is found in many martial arts and fighting styles.

In order for this book to stand on its own, Kovachich includes chapters on basic anatomy, warm up and stretching, strength, speed, and power that are similar to the other books in the series. If you have those, there is not much difference in those chapters in this book. However, for each book to stand on its own, I understand why Kovachich included these topics in each volume and am glad he did so. Additionally, these chapters on these topics are no where near complete. I have entire books that address this topics, as do most martial artists and self-defense practitioners. But what these chapters do is give you a small amount of practical advice that is relevant to Kovacich's kicking instruction, and hopefully encourage the reader to study more on these topics through different resources, because they are important areas to study and practice.

The chapters on the front kick and its variations is where this book shines. Nowhere else will you find such detail, illustrate by numerous pictures, showing you how to correctly execute the front kick. This kicks Kovacich teaches and illustrates in this volume include: Back Leg Front Kick, Step-Back Front Kick, Switch Front Kick, Cross-Over Front Kick, Hop/Slide Forward Front Kick, Hop/Slide Backward Front Kick, Front Leg Front Kick, Back-Spin Front Kick, Spin-Back Front Kick, Off-Setting Front Kick, Double Jump Front Kick, and the Cross-Over Front Kick (with the left leg).

How many martial art books have you read where they show a handful of pictures and a paragraph or two of text to describe the front kick? It seems that most books only contain such descriptions. In "Front Kick," Kovacich devotes pages 37 through 65 to the basic execution of the back leg front kick. This includes 18 full page photographs illustrating the kick and one page of review photographs as the end of the chapter. The text includes description of fighting stance, raising the knee, coil, midway to impact, impact, recoil, lowering the knee, and returning to fighting position. Also interspersed among the written text are diagrams of foot placement to ensure you step and pivot correctly. I have never seen as much written on the front kick.

The chapters on the kick variations contain smaller photographs and are a bit redundant regarding the parts of the kicks that are the same, but I am glad for that when I grab the book to only review one particular kick. I would not want to be referred to a different chapter to see the similar aspects. And that brings me to a point about using this book. It is not a book to read through cover to cover like a novel. In fact, to do so would be a bit dry. I recommend reading through the entire book quickly to see what is there. Then go back and study the chapters on the primary kick to get it down and then each of the variations as you are practicing them. Also be sure to take note of the "notes." Kovacich provides a lot of useful tips in these little notes.

As with the other books in this series, there is a short trouble shooting guide and a short chapter on front kick applications, but the real gold here is the detailed description on the front kick's execution. This is an excellent addition to any martial artist's library and a book that should be studied if you want to take your kicking to a higher level, a level of kicking excellence.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

Like all the titles in Shawn Kovacich's Achieving Kicking Excellence series, book 6 Front Kick is a comprehensive study of one of the important kicks used in modern martial arts today. The book is incredibly thorough with numerous photos demonstrating the every aspect of the kick in minute detail. Mr. Kovacich knows his stuff and it is obvious that he has spent many hours honing his technique. The book provides an in-depth study of the bones, muscles and mechanics involved in the kicking technique.

In addition, the book contains a wealth of supplemental information on strength, speed and power generating exercises to enhance the technique. There is also a section on stretching as well as the application of the technique.

This book is ideal for any martial artist who wishes to perfect their front kicking ability. The beginner will find a wealth of information to assist in developing proper mechanics while the advanced practitioner will glean some vital knowledge from an accomplished teacher.

Be sure to check out the other books in this series. You are sure to find one that addresses the specific kick that you need work on.

Aaron Hoopes
author of Zen Yoga: A Path to Enlightenment through Breathing, Movement and Meditation

I just finished reading Shawn Kovacich's book Front Kick. I found it to be very complete and detailed, as were the other two books that I have read in the Achieving Kicking Excellence series. I will not go into the front and back matter as I have already covered this material in my other reviews. Much of it repeats as things such as stretching, strength training, speed training, and the like apply to each of the different kicks equally. These specific parts of your training are covered in detail and are a very useful part of this book.

I found that I especially liked the "notes" which are found throughout the book. Shawn's notes are filled with useful and interesting information. Both the kicking applications and the trouble shooting guide were also excellent. I find it refreshing for a martial arts author to be willing to show photos of himself making mistakes in order to point out what you should not do, instead of just showing you how your kick should look. I personally find this teaching technique very helpful.

Obviously Shawn Kovacich knows what he is talking about when it comes to the art of kicking. I highly recommend this book to any martial artist, beginner or experienced, who is interested in improving his or her kicking skills. This book is technically complete and well written, and is a great addition to any martial arts library. My copy is now highlighted, pointing out tips and information that I want to go back and quickly reference. If you are looking for a great book to improve your front kick, this is it!

Dr. Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

Achieving Kicking Excellence

If you are a novice martial artist, a kick-box exercise video nut, or someone who wants to advance their knowledge of martial art kicks, this book looks as if it would be very helpful.

The series of books is organized by type of kick: back, wheel, axe, crescent, reverse crescent, front, hook, hatchet, roundhouse, side kick. Ten books in all.

The volumes are absolutely loaded with pictures of not only kick technique but also of helpful strength-with-weight exercises, especially gym exercises with machines like the hack squat and leg press sled and of course the all-important lunge. So you get not only a discussion of how-to, but of what exercises can improve overall performance by gaining muscle strength. There are pictures with overlays of angles and axes, giving you an idea of proper form, though there is no substitute for a sensei giving you real-time feedback, of course. So these books are a good adjunct to martial arts class in the dojo; something to read and then take to practice and work on with real-time help.

There is a section on sparring--right and wrong. There is a suggested reading list in the back. A very complete series.

The only thing these volumes suffer from is slightly dark and low contrast black and white photograph reproduction due to pictures being on paper stock and not glazed plate stock, in order to keep costs reasonable for publishing. And the cover photo is wonderful but the graphic design (showing the title being shattered by the someone doing the title kick) was a GREAT concept but you can't read the title on the front cover (because it's being kicked to bits!) This is annoying; you have to read the spine to see which kick the book is about. If this bugs you, it's easily fixed: get some stickers or a Sharpie and mark the front cover with something like SIDE KICK VOL 10 or whatever works for you.

Author Kovacich is a black belt in both Karate and Tae Kwon Do (which of course is one of the martial arts for which the kick is the premier technique.)

My favorite part was when Jack and Annie figured out that the book they had was written by Slim Cooley.

This was a very great book, because it was a good story.

Annie & Jack find out that there's a rattlesnake in a ghost town and they have to hide from some people. And they find a piano that's playing all by itself. And we don't know what ...was playing it. It's a surprise for you, because you might find out. And I might find out too, because I have it at home. I have a lot of Magic Tree House books at my house. ...

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

I'm a children's reading specialist and author (Teaching Kids To Read for Dummies). I use these books with kids who are really starting to take off with their reading and consistently get great feedback. Kids love the Magic Tree House series so if you're looking for great gifts or a bunch of books to keep your reader hooked, buy the lot.

The book where Jack and Annie are warped in Wild West and sees a ghost!

A very important book about one of the founding fathers. That may be a cliched phrase for a man who was repelled by the stale cliches abounding in pop music at the time of his career kick-off in 1954.
But once again we have a biography written by two people - why would a poet like Carl need anybody more than an "editor"? Same goeswith Sun label buddy Scotty Moore - his book too had that unecessary naarrator - an excellent piece of prose, like with Carl, but the thought of it gets me depressed. Do you think Dylan or Costello would need a helper?
'50s friend Chuck Berry did his all by himself. The defiant Rocker wrought the defiant Writer. (And baby, that is Rock and Roll....).
Love reading about that Sun to Columbia to British career "rescue" period.
As a CP fan/collector I was natuarlly disappointed in the lack of deatils as to the lesser-known should-been-million-sellers and the conspicuous absence of a much-needed sessionography. A Perkins *Discography* is always helpful. But when in the world am I gonna learn when and where he
cut "We Did In '54?"

I really enjoyed this book. Unlike others that I have read (Little Richard, Chuck Berry, etc), this book is not an attempt to stake a claim to the title of "King of Rock and Roll". This book offers what appears to be an honest and humble look into the life of the King of Rockabilly. Perkins gives due credit to his influences and songwriting assistants, and honestly discusses his alcoholism.

I personally believe that Carl was one of the truest talents in early rock and roll, and his importance as an innovator/songwriter/performer is vastly undervalued. Get this book, and the "Complete Sun Recordings", and you can't go wrong.

An excellent and, what I feel honest (by both the narrator and writer) review and impression of one man's journey through life. Though Carl Perkins story is almost parallel to that of Johnny Cash's (if not "harder") this book goes beyond telling stories and conveys the emotions and impact of Mr. Perkins decisions and experiences.
"They" really should make this life story a movie!

I'll admit it -- I'm biased toward Carl Perkins. I lived several years in his hometown of Jackson, TN and met him many times. Having those experiences, I was curious how this book would portray Mr. Perkins. After reading this book, I have more respect for Mr. Perkins. True, he wasn't perfect (who is?), but he had reason to be bitter about his career and his life, instead he never gave up. He pulled himself up after each setback and kept on striving. When you think about it, what would be the alternative? He was not only a great musician, but an active humanitarian. His work with children and their causes is nearly as impressive as his musical career, yet most people don't know of this. I went to Carl Perkins' funeral, and in the little city of Jackson, TN you would have thought time stood still. This book will give you the feeling of getting to know a true American success story . . .

What a story!! This should be a must read for all of us who get to feeling sorry for ourslves. Carl Perkins came from abject poverty,a racially discriminating South,was known as "white trash",wrote one of rock n rolls seminal tunes,was on the brink of superstardom,lost it all,became a sideman to another Sun records stablemate,delved into the pit of addiction,rose again,had alot of his early work recorded by a group known as the Beatles,played with the likes of Eric Clapton,loved performing with his own family,lived his life humbly,nursed somewhat of a grudge against Sam Phillips,Jerry Lee Lewis,and Elvis,made peace with himself,and left behind the legacy of a man who had seen the beast within and had conquered it.
This is a must read for anyone who has any interest in music,or for that matter,the sociology of the South during the late 1940's and 1950's. It is also ,quite simply,one of the most inspiring books that I've ever read,Thank You, Carl Perkins!

This is a great read-aloud book with fun illustrations! Very jazzy and fun, with a positive theme.

My 2 and 4 year olds love this book! The phrasing is fun. The colors bright. The story about persevering to realize your talent, even when it means eating at all the doggy diners when you're a cat. Though it never says so, the city is clearly San Francisco. So, go, cat, go! Buy the book!

A determined, jazzy cat tries to, and finally succeeds to, make music in a dog-run city, letting the reader see the importance of persevering even in tribulations. The impressionistic, curving illustrations that bleed to the edge every page, as well as the beat poem rhythm of the text, flow together to give the reader an understanding of what jazz is about: improvisation and expression of feelings. Even the placement of the text itself, which sometimes swirls, sometimes indents, and sometimes changes fonts, suggests the unpredictability of jazz music.

This book is definitely hard to get into, but once you do, you're hooked. The jazz theme is awesome (although I wouldn't have chosen a cat...) and the pictures are brilliant. What a great picture book!

This is one of the most amazing children's books I have ever read. Jonathan London is able to convert prose into music. You have a sense of being inside jazz and understanding what it is from a completely emotional standpoint. I was thrilled to have the pleasure of reading this book to my 5 year old son and to introduce him to what jazz feels like. We listened to several Jazz albums after reading this book and the book helped to make a connection to the music. Thank you, Thank you Mr. London for this incredible experience!

The sign of a truly good children's book: fabulous illustrations, fun and interesting to read, parent-friendly, time-less. Every time I pull out this book, my 14-month gathers up all her stuffed cat toys and we read it together. There are lots of opportunities in the book to use different voices to bring the cats to life. This is one of our favorite books and will have a special place on our bookshelf for years to come. I think even dog people would like this book.

Great book for any cat lover

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

My daughter checked this book out at school.
She loved it so much, and hated to return it to the library, so I ordered it for her for Christmas.
What a great story about liking cats with awesome illustrations to go with it.
I highly recommend it for anyone, cat lovers or not!

I concur with the consensus on here. Like the other Kimberly, I checked this book out for my 2 year old daughter at our local library. After 4 renewals from the library, I had to get this one.

The artwork is fabulous and the rhyming text is easy for a young one to memorize. Our daughter now "reads" the book to us reciting "Sing a little ditty, cats!" A must for cat lovers as it shows how much personality cats truly have.

We also love the opening page which has a list of colorful characters such as Lord Buttons, Pickles Jones, and Nacho Grande. We have to pick out which cartoon kitties look like our two real ones.

Loads of fun for your little one! Highly recommend!

The author and artist of this work must indeed like cats as there are hundreds(?) of drawings of these fury little creatures in this work. This is certainly a book that I would add to my young child's library as the pictures are endless, and surprisingly all different. The colors are great and the artist, Pamela Paparone, has done a wonderful job with her subject. You can read this book with your child over and over again, and each time, both you, and your child, will see something new with each reading. The text goes well with the art. The colors are quite eye catching as the entire layout of the book. Recommend this one quite highly.

This book focuses on communication in marriage and has basic principles
that are easy to follow. It also discusses key areas where there may be
problems to resolve. It is based on sound Christian principles that apply to other relationships as well.

No matter how long you have been married, you must always remember that God comes first. This book reminds us that a healthy, Godly marriage works in this order: 1)God, 2) Marriage 3) Self 4) Children 5) All Else. Without Him, a marriage is doomed. This book has allowed me and my Wife to address minor and major issues using God's direction. This is actually a second publishing, with the first being mostly secular. The authors have taken scripture and make it very clear that God wants marriage to be Spirirtually based. No matter what issue you may be having in your marriage, using God's directives can heal all wounds - past and present. As a Chaplain and a Counselor, I have found this to be the ultimate guide to healing a realtionship. I now recommend this book to all my clients, regardless of their religious beliefs. It provides scripture as an adjunct to the core message of each topic, and is very easy to follow. The authors have written it so that one may read a section regarding their specific problem, or it can be read in the order it was written. If you are yearning to have a Godly marriage - THIS IS THE MANUAL YOU NEED. Peace and God Be With You.

This book has helped us mend our marriage and grow to better communicate and understand each other. I highly recommend it for engaged, newlyweds, or people who have been married for years. God has truly blessed our marriage through this book.

My husband and I both liked the book because it gives practical ways to communicate, which can cross over in all aspects of life. It gives helpful, concrete tools to use in relationships.

This book, along with the non-Christian version, Fighting for your Marriage, is great! This is great marriage enrichment stuff and helps so much with communication, as well as increasing fun in your marriage. Great for small groups. [...]. As a mental health counselor, I use the tools in this book with my clients and highly recommend it! Also at the PREP website is a list of PREP instructors if you need more individualized help.