Town Books

THIS BOOK WAS FIRE IN I MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY.IT WAS THE BOMB FROM START TO FINISH YOU WILL NOT PUT HIS BOOK DOWN FOR A MINUTE SO GO OUT AND GET.

This was the first book I have ever read from this author and I must say I was impressed..If you havent read this book take my advice and get it. U won't be disappointed. I read this book in less than 24 hours even at work I just couldn't put this book down..Im kinda upset about the ending but overall this book was off the hook..

I just finished reading this book, and I must say it has the total package. If you like drama, sex, murder, and suspense this is the book for you. The character Mya was also a total nutcase, but I loved every minute of it. Talk of the Town is a real page turner, and you won't be disappointed.

THIS BOOK HAD A AWESOME STORY LINE,I COULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM IT. IT TO ME WAS A LITTLE CORNY AND OVER DONE. I KNOW I'M GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN HERE( AS FAR AS OTHER REVIEWERS),BUT I WAS NOT IMPRESSED!!! THIS IS MY EXAMPLE OF WHEN A FEMALE WRITES A BOOK, AND OVERPLAYS THE FEMALE MAIN CHARACTERS ROLE (MYA)!! I MEAN GIVE ME A BREAK,IT JUST WASN'T FEASIBLE TO ME,I KNOW IT WAS FICTION, BUT GIVE ME A BREAK,SHE KILL'D FOR DUMB S***, AND WANTED TO BE RESPECTED AS A GANGSTRESS!!!PLEASE!!NEVER EVEN THOUGHT OUT HER ACTION ALWAYS IMPULSE(FOOLISH),CONTRADICTING HER REASON FOR BETRAYAL!!!

This book was off the rocker i recommend that everyone read this book its a must

The Urban Tree Book richly deserves its five stars. I am a bit of an afficionado of tree books; I actually enjoy reading most field guides and I often hike with several in my backpack. For the urban environment, though, I have found none as thorough or as well-written as this book.

Plotnick begins with a short description of general features of trees and a brief description of important vocabulary. The writing achieves an excellent balance, being neither overly technical nor overly simple. The drawings are also quite well done. Even from the beginning, they illustrate and complement well the points in the text.

Then, the majority of the book covers the trees themselves. Each tree has its own little chapter which includes names, decriptions, stories, and lovely drawings. I really appreciated how the stories focus on the trees in the context of the urban environment. I have seen this emphasis in no other book.

Plotnick ends with a short glossary, further resources, and an index.

In summary, if I were to carry only one book on a stroll through a city, this would be the book.

I bought this guide when it first came out and enjoyed every tree, word and atticism. I am going to revisit this wonderful book to journey back into the life of a city's street trees. Wonderful, delightful and perfectly good reading for the neighborhood tree-hugger. A must have for any one who appreciates trees and literature. Mr. Plotnik gives us a vortiginous account of what trees are. "It's not what you look at, but what you see." - H.D.T.

I will always keep this book close at hand throughout my journey through life. Excellent. Vostellung!

I got this book to help me learn about--not just identify--my neighborhood trees. It's excellent. It's written for the layman, and it is so comprehensive and interesting to read.

I've gone through much of this book with my kids, who, because they're city-dwellers, rarely get a chance to thoughtfully examine the fauna that's all around us. Now my 9-year-old can explain differences between maples as well as point out ash, linden, and several species of oak.

This book is great for people who want to train themselves to notice details, like leaf arrangement, general shape, and bark patterns. It makes you a better observer, and it helps you notice much more than the trees themselves (like what lives on, or in, them).

This is fun to take on a walk through the park.

When after all those rave reviews I bought a copy I was slightly dissappointed. This is an unassuming paperback. There are books on trees you buy for the illustrations: this is not one of them. The illustrations are nice, even tasteful (although I assume they would look a lot better in color) but are nothing more than just that, an illustration of the text.

However, when actually reading in the book I was quickly forced to the conclusion that this is a real find. Arthur Plotnik not only is inspired by trees, he also did his home-work (in a big way!) and he surely can write. This book reminds me very strongly of D.C.Peattie, as he would write if he were to live today. What can I add to that?

P.S. I can add that this book has an impressive list of references for further reading and a perhaps even more impressive list of internet sites on trees.

Typically, when I browse learned books, be they history, science, art, whatever, if the author's qualifications to teach me about the subject don't measure up, they go back on the shelf. Talented amateurs have their place, but with so many good books out there, I can't afford to risk having my time wasted.

This book is a great exception. By touching only lightly on the dry botanical aspects of the trees, and focussing on their characters, the author shows confidence in the subject while letting his enthusiasm and wit have full rein.

Again, most illustrations drawn by authors' partners usually serve for breaking up the text. Not these. The unison between the illustrations and the textual descriptions is evidence of true collaboration and a rare conjunction of talent.

If you're interested in "those big things with the leaves", and you don't happen to live in a forest, but this book.

Homer Hickam wrote a very enjoyable and informative book about his hometown of Coalwood, West Virginia, and the people who helped nurture him as a young boy. With his childhood stories, he took me on a journey through time to a place that many today would dismiss as "old-fashioned," and Hickam would argue was "the way things can and should be."

Inspired by the events of September 11, 2001, Hickam reflected on his youth and realized the values he grew up with in Coalwood were what many people needed to move on with their lives following the tragic terrorist attacks on America. Hickam expertly wove his thoughts and experiences into the four "Coalwood Attitudes of Strength and Courage" (We are proud of who we are, We stand up for what we believe, We keep our families together, and We trust in God but rely on ourselves), which led to the "Coalwood Assumption" that most Americans found themselves either wanting to say or saying repeatedly following 9/11: "We are not afraid."

In his introduction, Hickam explains the purpose of this book: "If you want to stop being afraid, or if you want to avoid the habits of fear and dread, this book can help by teaching you a philosophy of life that will fill your heart and soul with a sense of well-being and confidence. It is a philosophy that was developed by real people who led good, happy and hearty lives while managing to raise a crop of children who went on to have successful lives of their own."

Hickam is a master storyteller, and his stories contained many powerful moral and inspirational passages. Some I related to as personal memories, others as things I missed growing up or never thought about, and still others as a father wanting his young son to experience in his childhood.

This book has a lot to offer to many different people with many different needs in many different situations. I encourage everyone to read this book and let Hickam take you on a journey of discovery into your heart and soul.

We Are Not Afraid is a very inspiring book about strength and courage in perilous times. I think everyone who reads this will come away a stronger individual for it. If you have children, sons, daughters, nieces or nephews I think it is even more important to read this!!! The book was just such a "thinker". It is only 213 pages, it reads quickly but it lasts long after you close the cover.
While it is a collection of stories about growing up in a small coal-mining town in West Virginia it makes you stop and think hard about what really should be important in life, the values, the morals, the spirit, all the things that went into creating our great Nation. Mr. Hickam points out that yes times are perilous, but that there have been many perilous times and many hardships and challenges and being afraid is not a way to meet these. He pulls no punches when he discusses the United States of America. He dismisses those who want to focus on our failures as a Nation and fail to acknowledge our ability to correct our errors and move forward as a whole. This book is a life lesson on how not to live your life in fear, and how to overcome and surmount obstacles in your way. This is not accomplished by promising "pie-in-the-sky" but by learning from the examples of others ways to be strong and have courage and face life with your head up. This revolves around four important attitudes. #1 We are proud of who we are. #2 We stand up for what we believe. #3 We keep our families together. #4 We trust in God but rely on ourselves. These may sound simplistic to many people, but when they are broken down and explained you will know that it is possible to live a good purposeful life and not be diminished by fear and to pass this on to those around you.

I read this book. It changed my life for the better. Enough said. Hickam is very gifted. Who are his people? You'll be surprised.

I'm a strong person,an Idaho farm boy, but, I too, was weakened by the events of September 11. I needed salve for my soul, softening of my hardening heart,a mental map to see my way out of this mess. I found it in Homer Hickam's incredible new book, WE ARE NOT AFRAID. Homer writes with a wit and warmth that envelopes you like a comforter and touches the full range of your emotions. From your funny bone to the childhood memories you have tucked away in your mind's attic, WE ARE NOT AFRAID hits the brass notes and the softest keys. The world needs more Homer!...

The advice I found in this book has changed my life, too. Somebody told me I should read this when they caught be dragging around filled with worry. What can a little book do to change that I asked and they said well, just read it and see. The insights in this book have been just amazing. Homer teaches through stories that are fun to read but after you're done, you just sit back and go I really see that. I really, really do. Honestly, I've spent money on a lot of these selfhelp do better kind of books but the way Homer does it, I think I really got my money's worth this time.

i first heard about hell's backbone from the mighty foods blog. since i was in the process of planning a trip to the southwest, i knew i had to visit this restaurant. it is in such a beautiful place; boulder utah, in the grand staircase escalante national monument. the restaurant is truly special, with a wonderful ambiance and of course lovingly prepared, delicious, local, seasonal food. of course i took home a copy of the book and have been enjoying it every since. you will not be disappointed! if you ever get the chance, visit hell's backbone and experience the lovely food and environment first hand.

I love this book. I love this restaurant. The book is excellent for cooking containing numerous great dishes but the real charm is the story of the restaurant and colorful staff and locals. Skillfull writing and delicious recipes complete the package. Great gift idea

This book does contain recipes, and they are very good. But it is much more than a cookbook. It is a meditation on food as a manifestation of place, of values, of mindful living... I cannot read this book without glimpsing the transformative power of right intention. It is really the story of how two remakable people built a community out of little more than their vision and their commitment to rightness. It documents grace through the story of a rural restaurant, and achieves a sort of modest scriptural value in the process, humble but beautiful, and worth reading.

I recommend this book highly. Read it with a chocolate-chile cream pot in hand.

Poignant and inspiring - oh, and yeah - good recipes too!

Reader Beware! If you open this book to look for a recipe, make sure you have the rest of the day to spend reading. It will draw you in like your favorite Novel and soon you will be cooking in Hell's Backbone Grill. It should be first on your gift list for anyone you know who cooks, reads or eats.

Senator Bumpers' memoir is truly a great read. The Senator is very candid about politics, honest about his life, and philosophical without trying to justify his actions while in office. In a day where it seems every politician running for office feels the need to write a book, Senator Bumpers has taken the time to write one after leaving public office.
On a personal note, the Senator took time out of his day to autograph a copy for me on the occasion of my retirement from the Army.
This is a very good book.

Dale Bumpers might be seen as a mixture of one part Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird), one part Jefferson Smith (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), and a half part Abe Lincoln (at least he got the self-deprecating part).

In his memoir, Bumpers presents his life in wry strokes from Depression-era Arkansas through the Clinton impeachment trial. When focused upon the Arkansas of his youth, Bumpers' writing rings with spry anecdotes and the merriment of a man who can laugh at what was once a scandal and present rural life with a fine eye.

Unfortunately, the broad brush strokes of his gubernatorial and senate career reeks of sterilized gaps (or perhaps, hatchets slyly buried). Bumpers becomes jaded, cynical, and cautious in writing about Washington powerbrokers, condensing his memoirs into a string of dinner parties and public engagements lacking the same confessional quality. After multiple terms in the Senate, Bumpers recalls only two meaningful debates - Panama Canal, and the battle to save the Manassas Battlefield from becoming a shopping center.

Bumpers' memoir is worth reading for the depiction of the rural South and a profile of a real-life career of a grassroots lawyer who did good and made good in the first half. However, concluding with Bumpers speech on behalf of fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton during the impeachment trial is anticlimactic, and the latter section begs for the same treatment as his earlier, less public life.

Great read by someone who knows how to paint pictures with words. Dale Bumpers is a true public servant, not a politician out for fame, ego, money, and sex. I first became aware of him in a lengthy newspaper article some decades ago that gave deep background coverage to his spoken eloquence and mastery of issues, beyond that even of most Senators. I have wanted him to run for President ever since, and I think his speech in defense of Bill Clinton shows what a loss we have endured in not having Dale Bumpers as a President, particularly in light of the actions of our current President.

The Senator describes in his book how Arkansas was always competing with Mississippi in being at the bottom of the lists of good things, and at the top of lists of bad things, and how he strove to change that. I was born and raised in Louisiana, and remember experiencing the same thing with Mississippi, but don't remember seeing Arkansas on those lists frequently. I consider that to be a testament to the Senator's success in changing things in Arkansas, as he was born about 1926, and I was born in 1963.

Lets hope a generation of Americans finds this work as inspiring as the author found the words of Harry Truman to him: "You should always remember that the people elected you to do what you think is right. They're busy with their own lives, and they're depending on you.... Get the best advice you can find on both sides of the issues, pick out the one that makes the most sense to you, and go with it.... Secondly, trust people with the truth. Politicians always have a hard time telling people the truth, rather than telling them what they think they'd like to hear. People can handle the truth, and you can trust `em with it." (p. 226).

This is an exceptionally excellent book, replete with snatches of humor and wise and poignant thoughts. It is indeed a memoir rather than an autobiography, and does not dwell much on the author's illustrious career as governor and senator. The best chapters are toward the end, when he tells of his crowning achievemnet after he left the Senate and gave his superlative speech in the trial in the Senate of Bill Clinton. I am glad he set that speech out in an appendix since I had forgotten just how able it was. This book is a great book, and one can recomment it unreservedly.

Dale Bumpers recounts his formative years with honesty, verve, and a wonderful sense of humor. Sparing us a blow-by-blow account of his years as an influential member of the United States Senate, Bumpers instead gives us the gift of riding along for the journey as he looks back on his life and remembers the lessons he learned from his father in Depression-era Arkansas. We enjoy a remarkable whirlwind tour -- through high school, college and law school; through tragedy; through the years of simultaneously serving as city attorney, family hardware-store operator, lawyer, husband, and father; through the many often-zany legal cases and clients with whom Bumpers worked; and, finally, through the decision of the young, smart, and genuine country lawyer -- inspired by his father, who comes across as a thoughtful, caring, and noble man, to commit to a life of serving others -- to launch a long-shot campaign to become the Governor of Arkansas. This is not a book for Bumpers to tout his influence on policy in Arkansas, although I discovered later that he was the only Arkansas Governor of the twentieth-century who, among Arkansas political scientists, achieved the rank of "Great." (Other Arkansas governors included David Pryor and, of course, a young man named Bill Clinton.) Nor is it a bogged-down account of Bumpers' years in the Senate, although he was for twenty-four years among the most revered members of that body. Nor is it a rumination on the trends of the times or the national character, even though Dale Bumpers was repeatedly encouraged to run for president and declined in 1976, 1984, and finally for the last time in 1988. Indeed, in an age where politicians discuss their political accomplishments and ambitions at length in their memoirs, with a cloying sense of self-centeredness that encourages one to forswear the genre entirely, Bumpers never discusses the intense-but-always-fleeting power struggles that define Washington, or why he always decided against running for the presidency. Instead, the book is a reflection a long, sometimes-bumpy, but always satisfying public and private life, full of vivid images, memorable episodes, and wonderful stories.

What makes the book so appealing is its utter lack of pretense, Bumpers' genuine and unfailing respect for those who might wander across his book in the local library and spend a few moments with it. It is little wonder he always won re-election in Arkansas, despite the fact that his views tended to be more liberal than those of the state as a whole. ("Do you want to know why you always thought I was more liberal than I said I was?" he recounts asking an assembled group back home in Arkansas, as he was finishing up his last term in the U.S. Senate. "Because I was!") In an age of insta-political memoirs, Bumpers mentioned that it took him nearly four years to write the book, and it shows.

Given our disenchantment with politics these days, we are constantly looking for a man on a white horse to save our political culture from itself. One wonders, however, what our potential would be if we moved past the cult of political celebrity, and searched for a leader who was confident but genuine, talented and humble, and most of all, good and decent, with an integrity and a generosity of spirit that reminds us of the best about ourselves. In an age where we are all looking for the next John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton (Mitt Romney? John Edwards? Barack Obama?), you may, after reading this memoir, wonder whether we may better be served by searching for the next Dale Bumpers.

Great book for any cat lover

author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

It's a lot like the Sandra Boynton books (Pajama time, Barnyard Dance, Snuggle Puppy)....very silly, very catchy words. My son thinks it's the best.

This is hands-down one of our all time favorite books. As parents, we love it as much as our daughter. We have had had more mileage from it than most books, as it has served us well for over two years now, beginning around when our daughter was 18 months. Same story as the other reviewers - I found it in the library and immediately ordered it. It is in my top 5 for must own, right up there with the board book of Jam Berry, and I am highly selective about what I will actually buy and alot shelf space to owning. I wish I could find more books this cool.

This book is a keepsake in our household!!! Both my husband and I walk around the house chatting the versus, and we cant tell enough friends about it!!! Highly reccomend!!!

I happened across this book at the library when my son was a year old, and now at 15 months, I'm getting him his own copy. Although it says it's for 18 months and up, this is suitable for younger children~ I wish we'd found it sooner.

If you & your child like to play games with clapping or a beat to them, and you don't mind putting a catty-sounding whine in your voice to emphasise certain words (meow, chow, howl, yowl, and growl), this is very easily one of the most enjoyable books I've found to make interactive. This book had my little boy grabbing a rattle and making a beeline for my lap when he saw me pick it up. I'd lightly bounce him from side to side while I shook the rattle (except for the "Hey! Cool it cats!" part) and read through the short, rhyming pages.

As another reviewer mentioned, the length of the text is perfectly suited for babies; Although my son will discard some of his books about two-thirds of the way through, he will happily bounce through this one to the very end.

The brightly accented, loosely rendered beatnik cats and cityscapes/alleyscapes are wonderfully expressive. There's also a shadowy cat that appears on each layout that makes for a fun hide and seek element within the book, although once your child is familiar with the story, they'll have their finger on it the moment you turn the page.

I find this little book very helpful in doing just what the title claims it will do: demystification. The author has taken "los temas más traumáticos" (for us norteamericanos, anyway) and put them into one streamlined, to the point, non-bloated volume. Yes, you can find this info scattered in other Spanish learning resources, but you won't find it this compact and you won't find some of the slick ideas introduced to explain and remember the concepts and rules presented.

Digging through a thick reference grammar is fine. But let's face it: there is something to be said for getting more than just a dry definition and/or usage rules. And the author has done an admirable job at it here. The rules are explained. The examples are there. Nothing is lacking, yet, nothing is overdone either. There is no kicking a dead horse, as some authors tend to do, NOR is there any brushing over the details without sufficient explanation. It's just right.

I can't see this book not being useful for anyone whose native language is not Spanish. Even if you are familiar with the topics covered, chances are you will see things that cause you to say, "Yeah cool, I've never really thought of it quite like that--very helpful."

At 112 pages, Brandon Simpson's DEMYSTIFYING SPANISH GRAMMAR isn't bulky, but it is almost worth its weight in "oro puro" -- pure gold. Which verb to use if you are upset, versus a different verb if you're a "Norteamericano(a)"? One calls for "ser," another "estar," but how can we tell the difference? What if you went to the movies yesterday but went to the movies once a week when you were a child? Calls for different verb tenses.

Mr. Brandon is a kind and patient teacher and offers real-world examples of the classic pratfalls for the new student of Spanish. When he teaches us how to distinguish "ser" from "estar," say, or using the imperfect instead of the preterit, he gently debunks old textbook "theories" and opens up better and clearer uses. The examples from native speakers (who don't always follow the theories but know just what 'feels right') are highly lluminating and useful.

DEMYSTIFYING SPANISH GRAMMAR has certainly helped me. I think almost any student of Spanish will be helped by it too.

Demystifying Spanish Grammar is quite a good book for Spanish students everywhere. At first I wondered if the book would be able to cover much ground as it is a shorter book than I expected it to be. Wow, was I ever wrong! This Spanish grammar book covers lots of territory and works wonders for helping students of Spanish like me understand basic yet critical concepts about nouns, verbs, prepositions and much more including those pesky Spanish accents. Great!

Here is a list of what the book covers very well:

1) Written accents in Spanish
2) Understanding Ser and Estar
3) Understanding Para and Por (worth the price of admission alone!)
4) Understanding the Imperfect and the Preterit (the simple past tense)
5) Two lengthy sections on understanding the Spanish Subjunctive (excellent)

There are answers to the exercises; a list of other recommended books (wow); an English-Spanish Glossary; extra information on Spanish nouns and even definitions of grammatical terms.

Author Brandon Simpson has an excellent writing style that spells things out remarkably clearly and the overall "feel" of the book is a "user-friendly" one and this book is not difficult to understand. You also still have the ability to re-read parts of the book that are particularly troublesome for you if, for example, you're having trouble differentiating between para and por--this certainly does throw many, many students of Spanish grammar--even the best of students can stumble and fall on this topic.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for people who wish to pursue the formal study of the Spanish language at the entry and intermediate levels. It's also a good book for people who wish to use it to review or refresh their understanding of certain concepts even when they are at the more advanced levels of study. In addition, this book is designed in such a way that you can use it for independent study or you can refer to it when a topic in class just isn't clearly understandable to you. Brandon Simpson has made a huge contribution to the study of the Spanish language; and we are better off for it.

This week, my daughter Katrina completed her second year of high school Spanish. Therefore, some time ago, I gave her this book and asked her to use it and give me her input. Her response to the book was very positive. She noted that it demonstrated a lot of things that were not in her textbook and helped her make sense of some of the language structures. Her grades support this opinion.
She also said that it would not be suitable for a first year student just starting out, because most things in the book were introduced late in the first year or in the second year. Her conclusion was that this is an excellent supplemental text for the learning of Spanish.

Don't expect to learn a lot of Spanish or to spend hours reading this book. I went through the entire thing in a couple of hours. The book only goes into six grammatical issues facing foreign learners. For me I picked up a few small tips (using "ser" to indicate event location and a slightly better understanding of when to use the accent mark) but about 95% of the book was covered in my College advance grammer course. The book is good for a quick study before a test in one of the grammar areas and I suspect it is more useful for high school student (who don't have a good understanding of even English grammar) than for College students.

The book does give some acronyms to remember for when to use "ser" vs. "estar" and is good for people that need acronyms to jar their memory.

All in all the material, though sparse is well explained and will be useful for students that have difficulty with the concepts covered.

A good basic book and its arguement for saving cities is beyond reproach. But it lacked information on how to conduct research on where one might want to move, how to evaluate the direction an urban area is going or even how to tell if a city wants to have an urban core. And if he used the word "funky" once more I would have screamed; in fact he used it so much it almost made me put the book down. He should have stuck to the facts and tried not to draw verbal pictures of so many funky neighborhoods.

This timely book has made me realize....why drive and pay 50 bucks to fill up your SUV when you can "schlepp?" Get Urban! shows people how to avoid high gas prices by "positioning yourself" around food, work, fun and friends. I've already "gotten urban" in Bella Vista, Philly and I laugh at all the folks who made the choice to put themselves so far away from everything out in the 'burbs. Perhaps they might choose to establish their own world in waiting neighborhoods in their city's downtown. After all, we all have choices. GET URBAN AND START SCHELPPING!

After driving through the decaying neighborhoods in D.C. today, I think every local politician and resident in the surrounding over-crowded suburbs should read this great book. Kyle Ezell tells you how to find the right neighborhood for your personality and teaches you the basic survival skills you will need to live in a city.

Going by the wonderful writing in "Get Urban!," I bet Kyle Ezell is going to be a superstar one day.

We were pleased when we passed the "Getting Urban 101" minicourse (chapter 3) with flying colors. We recently moved from the southern suburbs. We chose the "postindustrial urbs" and are living in Chicago's South Loop development called Central Station. Reading your book is full of good advice and is helping us get even more urban! And we're saving a load of money not paying high gas prices!

Get Urban is the perfect book for us older folks with empty nests who are thinking about "getting urban." Our kids are gone and we are actually considering "moving on up" to a condo in downtown Nashville. The books speaks to us because we really do have to transform ourselves into a different mindset to become city dwellers. We haven't gotten urban yet, but have determined that we are "Postindustrial" urbanites. That's South of Broad (SoBo) in Downtown Nashville. Off we go, anxious, but excited. This was a very worthwhile book for us, especially because we've lived in a subdivision for forty years!

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 beautifully written, engrossing story of Christmas in a small town where a heavy snowstorm changed the course of events and the lives of many. Theroux paints vivid endearing characters and a portrait of a town I wish was my own home town.

What a charming Christmas fable--it draws you in with its tales of various residents of Ryland Falls and leaves you filled with the wonder of this special season. The appreciation of communities, families and individuals lingers, along with more intangible appreciation of what binds all of us together. This is a treasure!

When I finished reading this absolute gem of a book, I was astonished to find myself sitting there, feeling my heart chakra open, and on the verge of shedding tears of joy. This is one of those small rare treasures of literature that quietly opens the readerÕs heart and lets in a gentle flood of light and warmth and love. A short story written with a deft touch and without a shred of pretense or saccarine embellishment, GiovianniÕs Light displays the effortless mastery of the craft, evoking Guy DeMaupassantÕs classic explorations of life and the human heart. Take time to savour every word. Phyllis Theroux has truly written one for the ages.

Leaving my cold weather roots with the outside temperature at 70, I never dreamed I'd be able to be deliciously snowed in for the holidays cozying up for a fresh winter storm so vividly brought back to life in "Giovanni's Light". Holed up with me, to my delight, were Ms. Theroux's richly endearing cast of characters who one by one are given the chance to revisit the essence of the holiday spirit. I was at home in Ryland Falls eagerly awaiting each turn of events. A great solo read but just as much a wonderful family read-a-loud. It allowed my sun-bathed clan to experience the magic and wonder of a Christmas where nature's snowy blanket sets the town residents on a new course. A warm glow of a book I have continued to buy more copies to pass on to frenzied, frazzled friends who are all begging to find a way to slow down and experience the true gifts of the holidays. "Giovanni's Light" is just the answer.

What does it take for some people to stop their harried pace and take a look at their lives and then, to put a better perspective on what is important and what can wait? In this case it takes a blizzard to force people's lives to a slow crawl and give them the precious gift of time, to clearly see what is taking place in their lives that needs to be re-examined and fine tuned. This is a beautiful, thoughtful tale that encourages you to adjust your priorities to those with real value before something "big" or even tragic has to happen to force you to do so. Phyllis Theroux wisely shows that time is a priceless gift and that to live a fuller, richer life, time should be spent wisely, not nickled and dimed away.