Day Books

I have a seven year old grandson who is very active and outgowing but is afraid of some dogs. I hoped this book would help him overcome his fear. He enjoys reading the story and I hope it will eventually help him work through his fear.

On the committee when Not Afraid of Dogs was chosen as a Kansas Notable Book in 2006, I immediately bought it and have read it many times over with my grandson snuggled beside me. I still think the book is great, so I decided to rewrite this from an earlier review I did for the Kansas Notable committee. Right away when the story begins we learn that Daniel is afraid of dogs. Daniel, being a little boy, does not admit to being afraid of dogs. He says he just doesn't like them. He goes out of his way to avoid dogs, but one day something awful happens. His mother brings a dog home. Poor Daniel. The only safe place now is his room with the door shut tight. He can't even come out to eat dinner. Finally Mother Nature steps in and Daniel comes face to face with the dog. That night during a thunder and lightning storm, Daniel sneaks in to the bathroom and there crouched behind the toliet is the dog. Daniel is not afraid of thunderstorms, but the dog is terrified of them. A charming story with charming illustrations, it reaches a satisfactory conclusion. Not Afraid of Dogs captures a common truth about all of us in that we often dislike (fear) what is unfamiliar or that which we do not understand.
Eunice Boeve, author of Maggie Rose and Sass, a Kansas Notable Book set in an all black town in the 1880s; The Summer of the Crow,a novel set in 1935 Kansas; A Window to the World, about 12-year-old Annie who lives in 1850s Virginia; Trapped!, the true story of Virginia Reed, a girl with the Donner Party; and an adult western novel, titled Ride A Shadowed Trail.

We borrowed it from the library a couple of weeks ago and we cannot stop reading it over and over. My daughter's already memorized the lines. Great text and amazing illustrations!
Gracias!!
PS Of course we are planning on buying it!

Melina and Caterina

A life lesson to any age reader - what a beautifully written and illustrated book!

Daniel is one of the bravest boys you will ever know. He is not afraid of spiders, snakes or thunderstorms. However, when his sister reminds him of his fear of dogs he bravely says that he is not afraid of dogs. He simply doesn't like them!

Not Afraid of Dogs is a captivating book for every young child who has a fear of dogs. The story begins with Daniel expressing that he doesn't fear spiders, snakes and thunderstorms, but he does have a dislike for dogs. In fact, whenever Daniel sees a dog on the elevator he immediately turns to use the stairs!

Then one day he arrives home to see his mother holding a dog on her lap! Oh, no! Daniel reminded his mom that he does not like dogs! She tells him calmly that she is aware of his dislike for dogs, but his aunt had to go away for a while and the dog had no other place to go. Daniel is not happy with the turn of events. Just then his sister mocks him by calling him a `fraidy cat and he shouts before locking himself in his bedroom that he is not a `fraidy cat! He is a brave boy!

Daniel's dad arrives home later that evening. Just as Daniel is about to run out to greet him he sees the dog in the room. He immediately returns to his bedroom and sits there for the rest of the evening. He doesn't come out for dinner and even turns his mother away when she tries to give him a plate of food.

It was late in the night and Daniel had to go to the bathroom. As he was heading in that direction he heard a loud thunderstorm. He reminded himself that he does not have a fear of thunderstorms as he walked towards the bathroom. Who do you think he saw as he went into the bathroom? The dog of course!

Oh, no! What will Daniel do now? What will happen to the poor little dog?

All of these questions are answered in this charming book that will immediately win the hearts of many young readers. The story is told in such a beautiful manner with excellent illustrations that captures the expression of little Daniel. The author, Susanna Pitzer, has written such a beautiful book that will stay with readers for years to come!

I only skimmed this book (didn't want to "crack" the binding!), as I bought it as a gift for my son's piano teacher. She just wrote me a thank you note and called the book "amazing." She's a very dedicated teacher, loves the piano and her students, and this book really touched her. (The little bit I read was lovely.) I would highly recommend this book as a gift for a piano teacher, but I'm sure it would be equally welcomed by anyone who loves music or who took music lessons as a child.

I devoured this book on my Kindle because I was so hungry to know how piano students learn. I recently took up piano so that I can help my young daughter with her lesson/homework. This book inspires me to be more patient with my daughter and myself in my own endeavor to learn the piano as an adult. The only regret I have about this book is that it seems rather short, and it didn't take much time to finish reading it.

As one of Tricia's former piano students and friends, I was shocked and awed by how fantastic her book is. I always knew she was a special person with talent oozing from her fingertips when it came to both music and literature but this book blew me away. You don't have to have any knowledge of the piano or any interest in music at all to enjoy this wonderful book. Everyone should read it, I guarantee you'll enjoy it as much as I did!
-M.A.

I am fifty-one and about to start my fifth year of piano lessons. I'm slogging in the early - middle intermediate stage. I am also the father of there teenage girls who have studied piano five years, eight years and ten years.
This book covers the entire child (or new adult, like me) piano training process from beginning, age seven, to graduating high school, it lays out all the steps.
So I am highly recommending this book to parents, who are trying to figure out where the lessons are going and where they will lead, and to intermediate adult students, like me, who are trying to figure out how one becomes an advanced student. The advanced students "are in this because of an attraction to the act of playing that is compelling, deep and inarguable." The "difficult passages must be broken down into their smallest part and played over and over and over." So, for me there is no more skimming and going off for a ham sandwich (playing with my laptop) when my Scarlatti is hard.
Sadly, maybe, for parents this desire to master the piano "comes entirely from within". I am not sure my older daughters will ever be advanced, they don't "feel an internal necessity to play".
The book was written to adults (I knew every Beatles song and can't imagine playing a duet of American Pie, front to back), and while I think teenage students would certainly sympathize with the Recital chapter, most of the reflections on learning would probably be lost on them.
Thank you Tricia Tunstall for sharing your life and explaining the process to us, and for telling me to work harder.

This book is poignant, tender and funny. The author, a piano teacher, describes the wonderful relationships she has built with her students, how they progress and what she learns from them. The book also harks back to the author's own piano teachers, and finally (and most movingly) to her last piano teacher, who was her husband. Anyone would love this book, whether they have any piano experience or not. It is really about the dimensions of personal growth and how they are enhanced by a student-teacher experience, no matter what realm that relationship takes place in. And it's about the something unusual in our world today: a slow, gradual process.

Where do I start... I've read this book several times and love it more with each reading. On the surface, it's a story of a middle-aged woman suddenly finding herself single and haunted by the ghost of her one true love. But it is so much more. This is a book about survival, about finding yourself again, about picking up the pieces and carrying on with your life. It's about discovery and friendship and learning to love again, yourself as well as others. This book is about the female spirit ... woman, wife, lover, mother, friend. Truly a wonderful book full of hope and laughter and tears. Definitely a keeper.

I normally don't really care for a book that is so full of sadness, but although its sad this book is so full of hope that it makes you believe happy endings are possible. After her husband of 19 years decides he is bored with her and starts having affairs and leaves her and their twin teenagers, Maureen seriously considers committing suicide. Just as she is about to drive her car into direct traffic, the ghost of her childhood/teenage boyfriend Bobby appears and stops her. Bobby was killed in a traffic accident years ago when he was traveling home to tell Maureen that he loved her. Now Bobby has been unable to "move on" and knows his mission is to teach Maureen how to be happy. Maureen's selfish husband Dan has erased all her self esteem and confidence, with the help of several dreams where a self aware Maureen revisits the past and makes a couple of subtle changes, Maureen learns that she has always lived to please her family not herself. When Maureen meets the perfect man "Matt" she learns what it really feels like to be loved by a man but she is terrified of being hurt again. Not to spoil the story, but there was a time when I was really upset about how the story was going but I hung in to the end and there was redemption. Happy endings are delivered in several different ways. Wonderful, unique story...Great!

This is a great book if you want a quick read. It is a terrific vacation book. The character is a very likeable person and her story is terrific.

I recommended it to my daughter and she then gave it to some friends to read. This book shows character growth.

This is my absolute favorite book. I read this book as a teenager and fell in love with the book. I misplaced it and have been looking for it. I am excited to fall in love all over again with the characters of Once in a Lifetime. If you haven't read this book it is a must to pick it up and get to know the characters.

I found this book 5 years ago. I have read it 4 times. Ms. O'Day-Flannery hits the bullseye. Forty-something women finding herself with no husband after 20 years of marriage and dedication to her family. She caught the essence of feelings, hopes and dreams. Mine at least. I believe my guardian angel lead me to this book. I want to thank the author for giving hope, that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Each time I read it, there is something more I learn about myself and Maureen. Thank you.

The author has captured LIFE! Bravo for old-fashioned writing!

Catherines rare perceptions and insights fill me with a lightness that must be pure oxygenated love...the kind that wants to find an ear and tell them..."Read this! It will make you feel, really feel! They are the stories that our generation needs to tell the next generation on how to be a human bein; not one that changes DNA or breaks the sound barrier, but one that can say I love you and I love life and all it can, and kneels down to little children, and looks up to nature and walks arm in arm with those one meets.

They are Catherine's stories to set a measure by and look at it when we are unsure, a ethical plumline of decency and respect. They are fireside stories to be read in a home where someone has died,in a ghetto with no fire, to a fiend over a cup of coffe and jelly doughnuts, to your husband in bed on a cold night, at a family reunion, to a stranger next to you on the airplane...to anyone to whom you want to give the gift of words...important words of care, mending, smiling and bending,

As comics find the humor in everyday life, Ms. Bauer has found the beauty there. Every essay reminded me that life is indeed full of love and gentle humor and worth the effort. How refreshing to read about the joy of life and not the tragedy - a tribute to the human spirit.

To me essays are strolls through a writer's perceptions of life and people. Bauer's writings are easy on the mind. Reading them is like walking through a beautiful garden fragrant with gorgeous blossoms, overreaching trees and sparkling fountains. At the same time some have a humorous twist that brings a chuckle or two. When I need a lift or a laugh, One Day On Earth, A Third Eye view is a favorite reference And, Bauer's third eye sees life through a clear lens. I love her style and commonsense views. ~ Jo Peddicord, Author and Syndicated Columnist

Catherine writes with an insight into the human soul. She makes me smile and then I'm left with a gentle inner strength - just having shared a moment in Catherine's world. The reader will feel a kin-ship with her chosen subjects whether you are living the rush-hour life or retired. "The House That Frank Built" is a reminder that it isn't the perfection, size, or cost of the house that makes it a home, but the lessons of love, respect, understanding, and tolerance learned in this not-so-perfect house that are important. Her gems of wisdom will delight you and give you cause to look in, through, and beyond the mirror of life. Whether she brings a tear to your eye or a smile to your lips, this is truly an enjoyable book for a second and third read, etc.

A boy wakes up one morning to discover that he's now living in a very ODD world, indeed! The alarm clock only shows ODD numbers; he only has one sock and one shoe to wear; his new shirt has 3 sleeves, and his poor dog has five legs! It didn't get any better at school, either, with only odd numbers on the calendar and a math teacher with five hands and an alligator tail! And so continues his very odd day! What is happening to me today, he wonders, and will I survive this very odd day? With truly funny illustrations by Karen Lee, kids and adults alike will have lots of fun looking for the odd numbers and odd items hidden in the illustrations. Authors Doris and Dani did a great job on writing a very tight text with rhythmic overtones that carries the reader into page-turning mode.

One Odd Day and My Even Day (as a combo) were one of Learning Magazine's 2008 Teachers' Choice Awards for Children's Books winners. One Odd Day is also a 2008 Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award nominee (Kansas Reading Association).

As with all Sylvan Dell books, there is an educational section "For Creative Minds" at the end of this book containing: "Odd Fun Facts & Counting"; "An Odd Coloring Chart"; "'How Odd?' Oddities"; and "Creative Sparks".

This 222 word picture book makes learning odd numbers easy and fun. It combines the concept of "odd" numbers with the commonly-used meaning "odd" referring to "strange." Mixed in with odd numbers, the pictures show many odd or strange inconsistencies.

The For Creative Mind section shows odd and even numbers in picture formats using accompanying vocabulary the very young reader can understand. Parents and teachers will find this a very useful teaching tool to use when introducing beginning math concepts.

Sylvan Dell Publishing is known for publishing high quality books with outstanding educational value that also manage to keep children entertained. One Odd Day by Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed is no exception.

A young boy awakens one day to find that he is surrounded by odd numbers. His alarm clock has only odd numbers, his shirt has three sleeves, and his dog has five legs! As he continues his day, he finds odd numbers lurking at school, on the playground, and everywhere he turns. Exhausted by his "odd" day, he returns home and falls asleep, only to awaken to an "even" day!

The story is told in rhyme, and children love the music of poetry. Both Fisher and Sneed are accomplished writers of children's literature. The watercolor illustrations by award- winning artist Karen Lee are colorful, amusing and fit the story perfectly with their odd qualities. Odd numbers are hidden within each page for children to find.

When the rhyming is finished, the reader will find various activities and art projects at the end of the book that explain even and odd numbers in more depth and enhance learning. The activities include open-ended questions as an educator would ask, and have been reviewed by an award-winning math teacher for accuracy.

Armchair Interview says: An excellent book for both home and classroom. It makes math fun and entertaining for children while providing short curriculum for teachers.

One day a little boy wakes up to find his clock had only odd numbers and his shirt has three sleeves. What else is odd in this odd day? What a fun way to learn about the mathematical concept of odd numbers! Authors Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed explore different ways in which children can notice odd numbers throughout their day. Doris writes in delightful verse about the numbers one through nine.

To add to the fun, illustrator Karen Lee adds visual humor to the story. The dog has a dragon tail and Mom wears a firefighter's hat and ballet tutu in the morning! Teacher, Miss Dodd, has three eyes! Young children will have fun finding these and other fun images in the book. Number words are highlighted in bold to help the first and second graders learn to read them. Activities in the back of the book are varied and fun for a rainy day at home or math time at school! Children ages 4 to 7 will delight in this book.

Early one morning a small boy wakes up to the ring of his alarm clock, not knowing that this will indeed be an "Odd Day." The alarm clock has only odd numbers; he has one sock to put on, and one stinky shoe. He has old jeans and a new shirt, but the new shirt has three sleeves. Princess, his dog, has five legs. His lunch consists of five bananas; he rides to school on polka dot bus number nine. The calendar hanging on the wall has only odd days, and his math teacher, Miss Dodd has five arms. Miss Dodd explains that numbers called even are found between odd.

What great news he thought going outside to play, tomorrow will not be so odd, like today. He was eager to go to bed that night, thinking tomorrow would be right. To his relief, when he woke up the next morning, there were two stinky shoes and Princess had four legs. Sitting up in bed, he discovers his room has six doors and his mother has two heads!

This book is fun and a pure delight to peruse. You and your child will laugh and enjoy a fun time together as look for all the odd numbers on each page. Shadows on the wall are 3,5,7, the price tag on his shirt is $9.99. The red and white table cloth is printed with odd numbers in each red square. Look closely at each page for hidden odd numbers. Did you see the number 7 in the light bulb?

As always Sylvan Dell Publishing is number ONE! Not just a brightly illustrated fun book, but also an educational one. Check-out the "For Creative Minds" section in back of the book. Count the shoes, the fish, and the eggs to determine if they are odd or even.

Each page brings a smile. Here are your best friends posing, looking cute or being helpful. And as one page says, "With a little training man can become dog's best friend."
Not only do you have this small treasure for your desktop but you have the option to select another of their wonderful calendars which arrives as a page-a-day on your computer. How nice, two for the price of one!

I've been buying the Page-a-Day Dog Calendar for years. The photos are great fun, plus the quotations or health and care hints included on each page are both interesting and helpful. If you love dogs, you cannot resist this calendar.

I get the calendar from this company every year and absolutely love it. I was forced to get a different calendar one year because I couldn't find this one -- I think the other may have been the Dog Fancy one -- and the pictures and captions weren't as nice. I highly recommend this calendar for all dog lovers.

This is the fourth year in a row that I bought the Original 365 Dogs Calendar. There is no other substitute. Very informative, lots of great hints, and most of all some loving stories of pets who were on the brink of destruction, but were rescued by loving humans. Only God loves more unconditionally than a pet.

The photos are great if you love dogs. The information tidbits are fun and enjoyable. The students who visit the Health Office enjoy the daily pics and info. Thanks for a product I can purchase for a reasonable price and share with so many!

The writing and story seemed fine. It certainly had personality and flair. After a while though, the stories seemed a bit of a stretch. Guarino was the only one who could schmooze his captors into better treatment. Guarino was the one who reprimanded and instructed the more well-known POW's (Kasler, etc.) Guarino was wiser than other SRO's who advocated detrimental behaviors (Denton and fasting). Guarino was the one who had his hand on moving events (Denton speech at Clark AFB).

I'm sure the guy went through hell and more than I could ever take but the story really started to smack of someone trying to justify and prove his heroics. His heroics stood for themselves -- they didn't need to be built off the backs of others.

Fine writing and overall a fine story but starts to stretch credulity.

This book is a true story that My Grandfather went thru after being shot down in the Vietnam War. He was Bound Tied and Tortured almost daily. They did not break him. I applaud you Grandpa for writing this book. You are my Hero!
David

This book takes a harsh look at the truth of life of an American POW in Vietnam. Reading the horrid things done to our POW's would make me ill at times but it also gave me an even greater respect for the people who served in the Vietnam War. Our POW's went through a lot and if you'd like to experience that first hand, read this book!

I have read several accounts of the Vietnam POW's and this one was the most emotional for me. I am glad that he had the courage to point out the traitorous and despicable behavior of people like Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden. What these men had to go through is in the face of such cowardice by these traitors is incomprehensible to me. God bless you Col. Guarino... your efforts are profoundly appreciated!

As the young son of an Air Force officer, I was close to the family during the period of captivity. I only wish there was more in the book of the incredible courage of the entire family. The oldest son went to Vietnam and flew as a Forward Air Controller. The wife was deeply involved in the grass-roots effort to free the POWs and I was deeply touched by her courage, devotion and faith. I once saw the middle son save a young boy after the boy was attacked by a shark. It is often difficult to identify true courage, but here is an entire family. This is a great book of courage from the courageous father of a courageous family.

This is NOT your father's self help book. :-) Dr. Ireland's book is awesome. Perfecting Your Purpose is chock full of biblical patterns and principles that are empowering me to deal with life's challenges-- on a daily basis. This book, with its humorous stories and plentiful bible references, glorifies God first, not the author; as a result, my relationship with God has become so much more meaningful and fulfilling...
My perspective is changing. For example, I now look at my job as part of my overall purpose, so I view the time that I'm toiling away as an opportunity for being salt and light in the workplace, and my work product, attitude and relationships have been significantly enhanced. I now see my wife and two children as my primary mission field for ministry and not just a financial burden, and my home has become more of a sanctuary and less of a source of stresss.
For maximum effect, this book should be read (i) with a journal for taking copious notes and addressing the life issues that are discussed in each chapter and (ii) with AT LEAST one other person.
I'm a big believer in the principle that you get what you expect out of life, so I strongly encourage all readers of this book to expect to be changed dramatically, and for the better.

This book is a life workbook. It's the kind of book you should use to write your annual goals. It asks you questions and gives you tools to create an action plan. The way this book is written it creates a safe place to ask ourselves questions about where we are, what we want to do with our lives and where we plan to be in 2-5 years. If you don't have the money for a personal life coach, buy the book.

Pastor Ireland's book is an excellent resource in developing a relationship with God. Through a relationship with God we begin to understand our true purpose. Pastor Ireland does a credible job providing the reader with a roadmap towards their true purpose. Like a roadmap, the book provides step-by-step guidance on the journey towards a more meaningful and fulfilling life. The book should continuously serve as a reference for future reflection and direction.

I highly recommend "Perfecting Your Purpose" to anyone who wants to discover his or her destiny. David Ireland is definitely a man of tremendous insight and great wisdom. If we follow these simple principles that he outlines in this book we can really find clarity and direction for our lives.
Some people are trying to be an eye when they are really called to be a hand and they don't realize that these misconceptions are hindering them and sending them in the wrong direction. He teaches us how we can apply these simple steps that he offers to our personal life as well as our spiritual life. Many of us have made wrong decisions in our lives but after reading this book you will realize that no matter how old you are, you can still get back on the right path.
David Ireland is a man of integrity and I believe the best teacher that I have ever heard. Everyone who read "The Purpose driven life" will definitely want to read this sequel to that book. It will help you comprehend the full measure of success God has prepared for you that will dramatically change your life as you discover your purpose in life. None of us are here by accident. If you are unhappy with the way your life is going, you can make a decision today to change your direction. This book is very easy to read because it is meant to be read over a period of forty days. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.

Because of the word purpose and the 40 day commitment, this book may appear to be similar to Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven Life." However, after reading "Perfecting Your Purpose," there is a clear difference between the two books. To compare both books would be a disservice to both authors, as each book has different goals. Rick Warren's book helps you to question and search for your purpose. Dr. Ireland's book "Perfecting Your Purpose" enables you to flush out vagueness and state your life's purpose in one sentence with clarity and conviction.

Dr. Ireland's "Perfecting Your Purpose" has three goals, which are:
1) To help confirm your life's purpose through self-discovery exercises
2) To help perfect your purpose
3) To present the benefits of practicing 40 day habits

Goals fulfilled after reading "Perfecting Your Purpose":
1) The self-discovery exercises truly help the reader solidify his/her purpose.
2) With a clear understanding of your purpose, the book guides you by providing exercises such as "Sampling the Fruit," which challenges you to seek and engage with people and/or programs to enhance your purpose.
3) In practicing 40 day habits and fasts, the reader will gain new insight of God's power in his/her life's purpose. Dr. Ireland writes a remarkable explanation describing how God influences and transforms biblical heroes during a 40-day interval.

"Perfecting Your Purpose" is a helpful resource that brings the reader closer to God. Dr. Ireland's book will help stimulate ideas and prayers that reveal specific tasks to fulfill your life's purpose and serve God's Kingdom.

I LOVE this book! The recipes are easy, inexpensive, and YUMMY! I gave it as a gift to two of my friends and my Mom and they all love it, too!

Big fan of healthy cooking and have quite a healthy cookbook collection, my husband and i even rate the recipes with different colored stars after we try them. And this book we have put more gold stars in than all the others combined. It gives nutition info which is nice because my husband always asks, and the food actually tastes good. We havent found a bland or tasteless recipe yet!

Many of the recipes I tried in this book I love.
My favorites include the Pork Chops in Onion Gravy, Caramelized Garlic Chicken and the Glazed chicken with couscous.
I never tried or even thought of trying couscous before so it was interesting to try it out.
The recipes I tried are tasty, fast and healthier than some others books I have.

This is a cookbook I use often. It has easy, healthy recipes that require ingredients already in my pantry. Great book!

I bought this book when I got married in an effort to help my husband and I support a more healthy lifestyle (ok, we wanted to lose some weight!). This book has by far exceeded my expectations--i use it at least three to four times a week!
the highlights:
-meals that truly can be prepared quickly
-"normal" ingredients that I can find at a regular grocery store and won't sit in my fridge for months after using them once
-truly tasty recipes that rarely taste "lowfat"
-a wide variety of recipes with a multitude of flavors and tastes that suit both the adventureous eater or a more conservative palate.
-directions that are easy to follow with helpful information sidebars. Even you 'non-cooks' out there can use this book!
-It lists nutrition info with each recipe, so you know exactly how many calories and how much fat you're taking in with each dish.

The book is divided into sections for each type of food (ie chicken, fish, breads, etc), and it has a pretty good index in the back so it is easy to find things.
The only thing I would do different is that the entrees don't list suggestions for sides, which would be helpful for those of us who don't have an intuition for that sort of thing.
A book that does do this is "Make it in Minutes", a book by weight watchers that is my second favorite cookbook. Ignore the WW thing, and pick this book up too. It has some great recipes as well!

My family is a singing family and this book is a fun way to read and sing the words. My girls find the book fun and enjoy hearing my try to sing the funny tunes that the procupine creates while searching for his mate. This book is a lot of fun for all of us.

This is a darling story of love and true friendship. The sing-song prose is fun to read aloud and the illustrations are wonderful.

We both loved this story. The porcupine lives in a petting zoo and is very lonely as you can imagine. He ventures out to find a wife in the zoo but only ends up making the other animals mad. He finally finds his true love. Sure to be a favorite in your house too. Recommended for ages 4-12 years.

Way cute story. Great for reading to children or to your pricky husband!

What a wonderful picture book! This book will continue to delight children and the lucky adults who get to read along. The art is wonderful too. Lucky for us there's a sequel to this book.