Day Books

We have about five books in our Valentine's Day collection, and this is the most requested one, probably because I sing the text like a fool and it makes my kids laugh.

I have the same concerns about this story as the "History of Art Geek" reviewer, but my kids don't seem to care one little bit. I think the pictures look a little messy, and I'm sure some of the vocabulary goes over their sweet little heads, but that doesn't seem to make it any less enjoyable for them (or me).

I got this book for my 2.5 yr old based on a review I read and it IS as good as the review said. My daughter loves the pictures and the song. She loves it so much she brings it to daycare to share with her friends and teacher.

How can I possibly be the first person to review this book? It is absolutely delightful. I sang it to every class in our school last year, to their delight and mine. I was disappointed to realize that I'd probably only be sharing it with the kindergartners this year. But... many who knew it wanted a repeat! Both the verses and the art are clever, and funny. There are enough details to find something new every time. Though I have used Amazon for years, this is the first book review I've ever written. More people should know about this book, because it's a keeper. (Remember if you sing it that the chorus only appears the first time; you'll have to remember it, and when to sing it.)

This is a clever and witty yarn that my boy begs me to read again, and again. And yes, I do sing it, even though I can't carry a tune very well. Tricia Tusa's watercolor illustrations are loosely rendered with lots of movement. She uses economy to express the characters and landscapes, and one might describe them as messy. Her palette is soft with light shades of brown, green and blue with accents of pinky orange for emphasis. Although she's thrifty with the details, the faces are expressive, and alive.

I like this 32-page story, especially when compared to the typical Valentine fare; however, I think some of the vocabulary is overreaching. For example, three-year old children aren't typically familiar with Morse code, cyclones, or quicksand. On the other hand, the lyrical text, and singing attributes warrant extra points. The artwork is messy, but interesting, and the fact that it's now available in paperback throws it into the 5-star category. Fun read for the young and old alike, 2 to 102.

We check out many books from the library, and after two to four weeks, we return them. Our two girls were almost in tears as we returned this one. So, being the soft-hearted-can't-spoil-'em-with-books dad that I am, I ordered this one as a keeper. It's so much fun to sing this book to my toddler and preschooler and have them fill in words that I pause at!

Yes, the pictures are cute and make the girls laught too. Greatest of all, this my mother (Grandma to the kids) loves singing to them as well. Any book that can please toddlers, preschoolers, parents and grandparents deserves an easy *****!

Bottom-line: Don't borrow from the library--buy this book!

Barefoot Gen Volume Two picks up where volume one leaves Gen just after the explosion of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima. It a gripping and very painful story of survival in the fist terrible time after the bomb devastated Hiroshima. For those that survived the bomb and the deadly radiation, life has now become a desperate fight for survival in a harsh and brutal world. If you have read Volume One, you cannot skip this one, just as you have to read Volume three and four too.

Volume 1 & 2 of Nakazawa's famous comic series about a boy called 'Gen' and his life in Hiroshima during the WWII and soon after the atomic bomb. The first two volumes of this series are probably the most important ones. After I read the first two volumes, I just had to lend them to everyone I knew. If you read this story, you'll realise how silly to hear some popular opiniton 'Dropping two atomic bombs in Japan was necessary to end the war'. Nakazawa says that each and every event is true. You'll see, for example, that two young brothers fight against each other for a little grain of rice. The bombs were dropped onto civilians in the middle of the two cities, and, in Hiroshima alone, 100,000 people, including western prisoners of war, were killed instantly, and the pain they suffered from afterwords was tremendous. The way some of Gen's family members, including a new born baby sister, were slowly dying is simply too sad to look at. But the reality is that it actually took place and was caused by human hands.
I sincerely hope that many people will find an opportunity to read this book at least once in their life-time, and I strongly believe that this book will enlighten the whole world with its message: 'what really happens when a nuclear bomb is dropped onto humanity', which hasn't really been talked about in history books for some reason. But I think it's time to face reality.

Keiji Nakazawa, Barefoot Gen: The Day After (New Society, 1988)

The story of Barefoot Gen, spunky atomic bomb survivor, continues in this second volume of the four-part series. It's not a stretch to predict that how you feel about The Day After will probably reflect how you felt about Barefoot Gen, without much variance.

The Day After (which, in fact, covers the next two days) opens just after the end of Barefoot Gen, and is concerned entirely with the survival of Gen, his mother, and his baby sister Tomoko. Gen's task during this time is to find food for the family, and this quest takes him on a number of small side adventures the present a much larger picture of the greater Hiroshima area after the bomb than the first book provided of Hiroshima before the bomb. Gen meets a number of different people, helps some, and learns that even after the bomb, when everyone around him is shrouded in misery and horror, the banality and prejudice around him doesn't disappear-- in fact, people are worse than they were beforehand. Nakazawa, as is his wont, tells us all this in his stories, and never allows his messages to get in the way of his storytelling. Ironically, Barbara Reynolds' introduction to this edition is a perfect contrast to Nakazawa's story; it's awfully-written, ham-handed, flat-out wrong (Reynolds harps on about American denial of responsibility for Hiroshima, and she's writing ten years or more after the release, and vast popularity, of John Hersey's Hiroshima) polemic whose sole purpose in inclusion, it seems, is to highlight how subtle Nakazawa is. Skip the introduction. Or, if you're a completist, read the book first and come back to the introduction afterwards, so it won't taint you.

This is very good stuff. Well worth your time. *** ½

Barefoot Gen: The Day After is volume two of a four part series. It tells the story of the day after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima as seen through the eyes of seven year old Gen Nakaoka. Based on the real-life experiences of the author, Gen, his mother, and his newborn sister face the horrors of the day after the bomb. They have no food or shelter and are surrounded by the dead and dying. Even the soldiers sent in to gather and burn the dead bodies are succumbing to the radiation sickness and dying. No one understands what is happening and there is no one to turn to. Gen goes in search of food for his mother whose breast milk has dried up from malnutrition. Alone he faces the horror of the devastation and the destitution of the people of Hiroshima. This the hardest of the four books to read because the carnage of the day after the bomb is almost beyond belief. Gen's compassion, humanity, and determination makes this an inspiring book about the strength of the human spirit. Although the graphic scenes may turn some people off, this is still an important book for its message on the dangers of nuclear war.

The work has been wonderfully translated from the Japanese original: Hadashi no Gen. It was originally published in serial form in 1972 and 1973 in Shukan Shonen Jampu, the largest weekly comic magazine in Japan, with a circulation of over two million. The drawings are all in black and white. This US edition was published as part of a movement to translate the book into other languages and spread its message. It is a wonderful testimony to the strength of the human spirit and the horrors of nuclear war. There are a few introductory essays at the front of the book that help to put this book into perspective. It is a powerful and tragic story that I highly recommend for anyone interested in the topic.

I stumbled across this graphic novel in a used bookstore, not having any idea the impression it would make on me. This is an incredibly powerful story, very effectively told through the medium of comic art. It is an affirmation of the power of visual media, and an example of how comics can be used for much more than funnies and fantasies. It is also probably the most effective anti-nuclear material I have ever come across.

In Be Generous, David Morell makes poetry a meditation and meditation a poem. It is taught that meditation is a surrender of all effort; enjoying David's poetry is effortless. His poignant poems speak directly to the heart through the body (breathe). Laughter bubbles up from the depths and a sigh of understanding and relief will surfaces.

In exploring the simple acts of everyday existence and the most powerful life events, David Morell's poetry transforms our experiences. Doing the dishes, driving to the dump, waiting in a traffic jam, battling the phone company, growing older, and coping with loss will never be the same after reading David's poems for now I'm more likely to remember to BREATHE and laugh.

This little compendium of personal reflections treats matters pedestrian (e.g. road rage) to cosmic and is able to maintain its relevence to our daily lives over the entire range of its topics. Some of the selections will make you smile or laugh, often self-directed, while others will prompt serene and contemplative thinking. While you may want to refer back to some meditations, others will just come back to you spontaneously as they speak to situations encountered during the course of one's daily activities.This small paperback is an eminently easy way to give yourself or your friend a repeatable treat.

Despite its size, this is a great book. With all the madness in the world today, it's nice to find an author who approaches spirituality with calmness, compassion, and humor. His meditations are full of 21st century zen with a zinger. Marell can be simultaneously silly and profound, wise and wily. I recommend this book highly. Now breathe.

I've never meditated and probably wouldn't have thought to buy this book myself, but someone had the good sense to give it to me as a gift. It's so much more than I could have expected. It's extremely insightful, remarkably clever and downright funny at parts. I like to look at it on the train during my commute (especially on the way home), and I find myself smiling or even laughing at its insights (even having read them before). This book is a little gem. It makes a terrific gift. Give it to the people that you think should stop to smell the roses.

Each meditation/poem/simple illustration can literally breathed in a single breath. The main point I took away from this simple and quirky volume is to teach that our spiritual practices are not to be about being cumbersome or difficult, instead they are to be about openness to beauty and power, a practice of what feels good, what feels right.

It reminds me that anything can be sacred and spiritual, from reading about the process of flossing your teeth to the things we say to ourselves or that others say to us to anything at all.

And even in its bare-bones simplicity, it makes you think.

I thought this book was a great read!. Its researched with great detail & passion from a writer who knows his stuff. I'd love to meet the writer, as I imagine that he could talk for hours about the Beatles & you wouldn't get bored!.

From John and Paul's last photo together to John's statement of a possible Beatle reunion; this book has it all on the four muscicians who continue to influence the musical world. Keith Badman details all the relevant events of the post-Beatles' lives which is a must for any true Beatle fan!

First let me say what a wonderful book this is. I bought it thinking of it as a reference, but ending up reading it cover to cover. There are many stories that run through the book, John, Paul, George, and Ringo's lives, for sure, but you can also follow the legal cases (I never knew Apple records sued Apple Computers, and got an undisclosed settlement!), the tours, the press bickering and the love fests in the press.

I found the organization exceptional. While an index would have been nice (maybe for future editions), I didn't really need it. My favorite activity while reading this book was to follow various threads from entry to entry. So, when John wrote a letter to Melody Maker, that is noted and you are directed to the subsequent dates to find out the response, etc. I found this to be fun and engaging. All in all, a wonderful book.

If you need to know every activity each Beatle has participated in from the minute Paul announced he was leaving the group, until the present time, this is the book for you. It's a diary, plain and simple, which lists day by day appearances, meetings, concerts, interviews, record releases, etc., many of which were obscure until now. If you're looking for narrative prose about the solo Beatles, look elsewhere. This book definitely has the most detailed account of John's final day, and the other Beatles' reactions. It has a few rare photos; a must have for true Beatlemaniacs.

This is the best book since Lewisohn's Day By Day book of the Beatles which cover 1962-1989. It picks up where he left off and gives us the most complete picture of the Beatles after the Beatles to date. Only a few mistkaes on dates and times, which hopefully will be corrected in the next edition. Buy it ASAP!

Like Christmas being commercialized.....so has Easter. This is such a great way to give the Easter bunny a place in the True and wonderful gift Easter gives the World.

This book is excellent in content, however it is a boardbook, which was not in the description. I bought it to use with a group of preschoolers, which was kind of hard to do because the pictures are so small, it being a boardbook, not a picture book for sharing with a class. The content is appropriate for preschool, and the primary grades and is EXCELLENT.

What a terrific story! This book truly encompasses all the "fun" Easter traditions of egg hunts and baskets of chocolatey treats, etc., while finishing with an enthusiastic and upbeat description of the true meaning of the season - Jesus and His love for us! It would have been *perfect* if the darling illustrations had included a boy more prominently...even so, my 2 boys loved it!

I was introduced to this book last week and I am very glad I was. It is a wonderful book that is all about Easter. Easter eggs, Easter candy, Easter animals, Easter clothes, Easter Sunday at church,Easter everything. It says that all these things are fun and OK, But the best thing about Easter is JESUS. We have Easter because of Jesus. Jesus died for our sins, But He did not stay dead. He rose on the first Easter. He did this because He loves you and me. What a wonderful message for kids (and adults). This would be a great book to read anytime of the year. Not just at Easter.

This book helps recount my favorite things about Easter growing up, but concludes with what I have come to realize is truly the BEST thing about Easter. Each page of the story builds in excitement as it describes the FUN things we should like about Easter (dyeing and hunting for eggs, candy, animals, springtime, dressing up, and going to church on Easter Sunday) but, repeatedly indicates that these things aren't the BEST thing about Easter. "The very BEST THING about Easter is... Jesus... God's own Son!" The story of God's planned death and resurrection of Jesus are described simply and summarized nicely: Because Jesus loves us. I highly recommend this book for teaching the "true meaning" of Easter to children, whether it be your own family, or a group of children at church, Bible classes or an Easter egg hunt. The pictures are sweet, and the way handwritten words are interspersed throughout the story help build the excitement and fun. It is written from the perspective of a little girl telling the story.

I've been involved with horses since 1970. A lot of books have come and gone that claim to teach you everything you need to know about feeding your horse correctly, but getting through them is a challenge. This book is clear, easy reading. It covers feeds normally fed to horses in the US, and it gives good practical advice. Hay Days will not collect dust on your bookshelf - you'll be referring to it often.

This is an excellent book on horse nutrition. It makes nutrition easy to understand and information is presented in an easy to read format. Nutrition concepts (such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, ATP, enzmymes, minerals, vitamins, etc.) and how they are metabolized by the horse are explained. Also included is a chapter dedicated to MSM, DMG, Chondroitin Sulfates, Glucosamine, and Bromelain. The book details how much protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, etc. your type of horse needs (broken down into maintenance horse, pregnancy, lactating, growing, performance, or stallion) and how your horse's health, care and general condition contribute to his ability to absorb these nutrients. Each chapter includes charts highlighting the information presented. Additionally, at the end of the book are charts and formulas to help you determine exactly how much your horse needs of each nutrient and how much he is currently receiving in his diet. They were very easy to use, and this will allow you to see where his diet is deficient. This is a great book for the horse owner who is interested in horse nutrition, wants to optimize what he is feeding his horse, and is curious as to the benefits (or not) of all those supplements on the market.

While you can purchase either the paperback or hardcover here on amazon, if you go to the publisher (www.pixyjackpress.com), the author will sign the book for you. It's a nice touch.

This book offers a very simple, concise look at feeding horses, with an emphasis on SIMPLE. Forage is kept as the cornerstone of the equine diet, and a simple look at protein and mineral requirements is given. Written with U.S. horseowners in mind, this book differs from many books based in the UK, where grain types are much different.

Much more is involved in optimum feeding of a horse than several flakes of hay, a mineral block, and can of grain. Rex Ewing approaches horse nitrition in a thorough, comprehensive manner by explaining the role and importance of nutrients from carbohydrates, fat, and protein to macro and trace minerals to vitamins. He discusses nutritional requirements and the effects of proper and improper nutrition on the maintenance horse, performance horse, stallion, brood mare, nursing foal, weanlings, and yearlings. Whether your horse is healthy or its coat lacks luster, or it displays a loss of appetite or energy, or a weight loss; this book will be helpful. Summary charts are provided throughout and provide a valualbe reference and summary tool. Rex's extensive background and research can benefit the new as well as the veteran horse owner.

Rex Ewing captures the reader's interest easily with his relaxed writing style. He makes horse nutrition sound simple and there isn't a lot of confusing technical terms. A straight-to-the-point book.

I am not much of a reader, but I could not put this book down. I have been in the Army for 13 yrs now and the authenticity of this book is right on! Each page makes you wonder what is going to happen next, and it is full of suprises.

This is a must read!!!

This was a VERY well written book. Given Ronnie's military background and knowledge, every aspect of the book was very detailed, accurate, and realistic. The further I read the more I thought "In reality, this could possibly happen". Ronnie doesn't "sugarcoat" anything, he wants you to see what it's really like. Any other author would not have been as detailed or would not have made it believable. Ronnie has done an excellent job and I look forward to his next book.

This is a book that gets your attention right from the get go. After the first couple chapters it gets so intense that I couldn't put the book down... The author has done an excellent job at getting the readers attention and keeping it all the way through til the end. Can't wait to see if there will be a sequil.

Outstanding book. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. I couldn't wait to finish it.

It took me many years to complete this book but I'm glad I did. When I read the final draft I realized I had truly written a good story and I'm elated from the feedback I have received.

I am doing a comprehensive study of the Bible and am very grateful to have picked up this book.

First let me say, this is not scripture. This is a secular history book. It deals with the history between the creation and up to Joshua. Actually just after Joshua. Some may question some of the accuracies in the book, but like all ancient manuscripts there are some questionable material. Still, it reads very easy and gives some insights into several of the stories in Genesis.

Very good book, and its nice to read something of antiquity versus reading a modern interpretation on history from some guy 4-6 thousand years removed from the time of the first 5 books of the Bible. IE, ancient texts have more validity than old opinionated professors with agendas. Read the book and formulate your own mind.

This book is terrific and really fills in some areas left out of the King James. It inspired me and was extremely interesting.

I really loved this book, it shed so much light to the Bible Stories, like Cain being killed by Lamech and the Stolen Garment associated with the Curse of Ham...

The Book is awesome... well worth the bucks!!!

My Comment for you if you wanna buy it is:

Just DO IT!

This book is written in such a way that it enhances the first five books of the bible. It goes into much greater detail on the stories we all have learned by reading the holy bible. One example is the hate / love relationship between Esau and Jacob. This is a significant historical record as the Book of Jasher is mentioned in both I Samuel and Joshua.

I can understand why this book was left out of the Bible, but really glad it wasn't trashed!! I got the full writtings off the web and loved that also. Liz

This series of books is very helpful in your daily study of the Book of Mormon. It explains a lot of the symbolism and makes the Book of Mormon easier to understand.

David Ridges does an excellent job of adding insights to BofM passages. These insights broaden the readers understanding of the subject material. The book is used by a study group who expressed to me how insightful the author's comments are in bringing a deeper understanding of the written record.

I really like how the author makes it easy to understand the Book of Mormon.

My daughter recommended the 3 volumes of the Book of Mormon Made Easier. I have found them to be very good and insightful in understand the Book of Mormon. I have read the Book of Mormon many times, but reading it with these volumes has greatly increased my knowledge and desire to read the scriptures.

This endorsement can apply to all of his "gospel series" books. I believe I'm his biggest fan. I just can't say enough about the effect these books have had on me personally, or at least the way they have changed how I approach a study of the scriptures.

Also, don't be fooled by the "Made Easier" part of the title. They may exclude all you scholars from even considering this book, but it shouldn't. People of all levels can get a lot out of this, and it's not meant to be a beginner's text.

I follow this author from his first book on the Boston Molases flood, to his second book on the sinking of a US Navy patrol ship off Portland ME, by a German U-Boat that itself was sunk off Block Island.

This book takes the reader through a comprehensive, yet enjoyable and readable history of the Italians in the North End of Boston. From Ellis Island and their push North to the docks of Boston itself, they came. They came, stayed and made their neighborhoods. They rebuilt geographic bonds in Boston as they were back in the old country. Mr. Puleo makes this all seem to makes sense.

What brings the North End to life and to the headlines is World War II. The War seemed to be the great neutralizer as the boys started coming home with war wounds. Mr. Puleo's grasp of the events of WWII in and its affects on the homefront are gripping.

Also noted were pre-war rising political leaders and its populace voting, the North End was being heard at city hall.

Great book for any history reader. Great book for any general interest reader.

Interesting history because my family lived there for many years when they arrived from Italy. Met the author - great speaker - fascinating.

Having grown up in Boston's Italian North End in the 40's, 50's. and 60's, I found this book to be both informative as well as nostalgic. Many times it brought me back to memories of my youth by describing scenes that I remembered clearly myself. Most fun of all was all the talk about North Square, my family home from the age of 9 until my marriage at age 23. My grandparents owned the building next door to Sacred Heart Church's rectory and across the street from Paul Revere's House.Thank you to Stephen Puleo for a wonderful book!The Boston Italians: A Story of Pride, Perseverance, and Paesani, from the Years of the Great Immigration to the Present Day

This is a great read even if you're not of Italian ancestry! This book does a fantastic job of recounting the obstacles that many ethnic minorities had to overcome to build a better life for themselves and their families. The author does a great job of providing not only historic context but a personalization level that is often missing or when included seems out of context or innnapropriate.

I think the author's commitment to defending the Italian people against Hollywood and Madison Avenue sterotyping presents a unique perspective, often times not heard. He does not deny that the Mafia exists but is strongly, and rightfully, offended that the only portrayls of Italians in the media are of thugs or mobsters.

All in all a great read and hugely enjoyable.

I really enjoy the book...It appears to be everything they forget to teach you about the Italian History in school...It's a real eye opener on what our country expected from new citizens. Being Italian and German I had Italian Grandparents who arrive durning the turn of the century. Had no idea what they had gone though to become citizens...I consider the book a very well writen book...