Town Books

This is a wonderful story about a couple who find an abandoned baby bird in a busy intersection and take it home to raise it. It is very touching because of their love that grew for little baby Stellina. She became a member of their family. My grandchildren love this kind and tender story and want me to read it to them again and again. The artwork is also delightful. I recommend this book for children and adults alike. My grandchildren are 2 to 9 and they all love it.

This is a beautifully told story that is very refreshing and sensitive, bringing tears to adult eyes and causing smiles and cooing in the young listeners. The ilustrations are delightful. Nothing but praise for this children's book.

This illustrations in this book are refreshing-- they are charming without being kitsch. They pique the imagination without surpressing it as some of the more photorealistic illustrations in childrens books tend to do.

Beware-- this book does deal with death, but it does so in a very gentle way. My children loved this book. I enjoyed it as well. The repetitive style also makes it suitable for younger children (older babies/toddlers) despite its length.

I was in the American Museum of Natural History last month, or rather, in their gift shop (honestly, is there any better place to shop for kiddie stuff?) when I noticed Pericoli's impressive rendering of the city skyline, Manhattan Unfurled, on prominent display.

I knew that on my shelf sat a more humble volume of his, about a single bird and not an entire cityscape. Stellina was a finch chick rescued by his wife, Holly, when she heard its tiny peeps at her feet above the roar of traffic.

While a press release and the book itself make much of the love that sprung between rescuer and foundling, I was struck more by Pericoli's obvious awe of his wife. He dotes on the way she fed the bird by trickling juice down her pinky, or played piano to inspire it to sing, or schlepped it in a plastic box whereever she went until it was old enough to be left alone in her tiny apartment.

He also refers to her as "Holly, my wife" on every single reference, in case you miss it. An end note explains she was only his future wife when Stellina peeped into their lives, and further confuses matters by saying a security guard first rescued the bird. There is no guard in Pericoli's narrative.

There is, however, what appears to be a lovely, stylized rendering of Holly, with an elongated nose and slender frame, dabbled with just enough watercolor to suggest her clothes or Stellina's plumage. Pericoli's use of pigment is like his spare prose, giving us only what's essential:

"It was evening when Holly, my wife,
decided to take Stellina home with her.

"They sat together for a while,
looking at each other,
and both must have wondered:
'And now? What's going to happen now?'"

Stellina finally died after eight years as Holly's well-tended pet, probably a better lifespan than she could've expected in the wild (I'm guessing). This tribute to the bird -- but really to its keeper -- is much like a splotch of warm color in the big, gray city.

One of the honors of being a school librarian is the opportunity to be there for some of the small but very important moments of your students lives.

Reading The True Story of Stellina reminded me of an early morning visit from a student who came in before school and asked "Do we have any books on birds?" Well, what do you want to find out about birds? Is this for a report? Is there any special type of bird you are looking for?

She was clutching a shoebox and slowly lifted the lid and began to explain how she had found-this-baby-bird-on-the-sidewalk-on-the-way-to-school-and-she-had-run-run-all-the-way-back-home-to-find-a-shoebox-and-now-she-had-it-in-the-box and-see-the-sticks-and-leaves-she-had-added? She needed to find out how to take care of the bird so she had come to her library to get help.

We ended up enlisting the help of our school nurse who is a professional 4-H mom, and has raised just about every kind of animal imaginable. I cannot remember now what happened to the bird but my young friend would have been enchanted by this gentle story.

Matteo Pericoli's wife hears a "cheep" and finds a baby bird on the noisy streets of Manhattan. She takes the little bird home and manages to feed it and care for it. Stellina lives and thrives and repays the couple with companionship and love for eight years. The drawings are light and delicate like the bird whose story they are telling. I am looking forward to sharing it with kids. They will be charmed.

The story begins with the murder of Lagayle Zimmerman, she is found in her vehicle with a shiny necklace hanging from the rearview mirror. Kenny Elliot is a detective in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is on the investigation of the murder of Lagayle. Kenny remembers a time back in Porter where a similar necklace hung from the mirror, where the bodies of his friends were found. He also remembers being a suspect in their murders, but the murders were ruled as murder/suicide, however, Kenny never believed this to be true. The reason Kenny was suspect in their murders is the night before the murders there had been an altercation between he and his friends, and Kenny was known to have a temper. Now with this new murder of Lagayle, Kenny is faced with the past and to finding the answers in order to find the true killer of this murder as well as his friends murders from years ago.

The characters are well developed and believable. It has an intricate plot, the story is full of detail, with twist and turns, and is loaded with surprises.

This is a must read for mystery fans. I highly recommend this book, not only is it a page turner, but will keep you guessing.

Quality Book Reviews gives Twisted Perception 5 stars.

Twisted is right. Twisted perceptions, twisted plots and twisted people abound in this novel. Avey kept me guessing until the end with one final megaTwist. When's the next one going to be released?

Bob Avey hits the ground running with his solo debut into the mystery-suspense genre. Twisted Perception is filled with brilliantly written characters that are as believable as they are entertaining.

Kenny Elliot had a tumultuous childhood, growing up in the small town of Porter, Oklahoma. Never knowing his father and with little guidance from his troubled mother, Kenny found a friend and mentor in Sheriff Charlie Johnson. When the mutilated bodies of his friends, Johnnie Boy and Marcia Barnes are found, in a car, with Kenny's class ring swinging on a necklace from the rear-view mirror, suspicion and town gossip pointed to the hot tempered teen. The case was officially closed when the deaths were classified a murder-suicide. However, doubts persisted within the community about Kenny's involvement. Unable to shake the suspicions and unsure of the findings himself, he took Sheriff Johnson's advice and left town, with no intentions of ever returning.

Nine years have passed, and Kenny Elliot is working for the Tulsa, Oklahoma Police Department. When Lagayle Zimmerman's murdered body is discovered in her car, it's the shiny necklace dangling from the rear-view mirror that catapults the detective into the spot light. As the clues mount, the crooked finger of blame seems to be aiming once again at Kenny. Plagued by nightmares and haunted by unanswered questions, he finally realized it was impossible to escape the past. Risking everything, including his own sanity, he returns to Porter determined to uncover the truth that would stop the killings, find justice for his murdered friends and clear both his name and conscientious.

Fast paced and realistic, Twisted Perception is a character driven novel, laced with intricate plot lines that could easily be part of the hushed history of any small town in America. With clinical precision, Avey has delivered a suspense filled mystery that reaches far beyond surface entertainment, to expose the deep, often hidden psychological scars left on the souls of child abuse survivors. Avey indulges Kenny's ruminations about the old traumas that fuel his nightmares, successfully using his personal history to propel the story, instead of swallowing it whole. The palpable tension in the novel is heightened with each chapter as Avey takes the reader on a full-circle journey, reminding everyone, no matter how far or fast, you can't outrun your past.

Happy Reading!
RJ xx
3Rs

Kenny Elliot is a detective in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kenny hails from the small town of Porter, Oklahoma. Kenny grew up poor. He didn't know his father and his mother's problems led her to an early grave. In spite of his background Kenny was a football star in his hometown. The police chief helped him through some of his rough times as a young man growing up.

Now Kenny is faced with the investigation of the murder of Lagayle Zimmerman. Lagaye is discovered in her vehicle, which contains a shiny necklace hanging from the rearview mirror. Kenny mind transports him back to Porter where a similar necklace hung from the mirror of a Mustang containing the bodies of his friends, Jonathan
Alexander and Marcia Barnes. Kenny was even a suspect in these two murders. The murders were ruled as a murder and suicide but Kenny never believed this.

Now years later Lagayle's death brings back memories and he travels back through his past to find the answers to the nightmares he has had for years and to reveal the true killer behind the murders of the past and the murders now happening in his city of Tulsa.

Kenny not only learns the identity of the true murderer but many secrets from his past are also revealed. This is a book that I very highly recommend. I will look forward to reading the next Bob Avey book.

Twisted Perception begins with the murder of Lagayle Zimmerman. Tulsa Police Detective, Kenny Elliott is put in charge of the case. But when he gets to the crime scene it is almost too much for him as it blends with his nightmares. Lagayle Zimmerman is found dead in her car with her necklace hanging from the rear view mirror. When Kenny was a teenager in Porter, Oklahoma, his best friend Johnnie and his girlfriend were found dead in Johnnie's car with Kenny's class ring on a chain hanging from the rear view mirror.

Kenny was the only suspect in their deaths as they had a huge fight that night in front of a crowd and Kenny was also known for getting in trouble and having a temper. However, their deaths were ruled a murder suicide so Kenny was never charged and urged to leave town by the sheriff who liked him and his football coach. But now Kenny must go back to Porter to uncover old secrets to try to solve the murders occurring in Tulsa as the body count continues to rise and Kenny is looking more and more guilty.

This was a wonderful book full of twists and turns and lots of surprises. Bob Avey did a wonderful job with his character Kenny Elliott. I would highly recommend this book as it was quite the page turner.

Karen's story describing her days and thoughts concerning caring for her parents is such an accurate description of the feelings I had caring for my mother. In my case, I know Karen and I grew up in the same area where she grew up. We attended the same church and my mother knew her family. Whether one grew up in the same town, or whether you have been through the caring for parents, this book is a must read. Everything the author writes about flooded my memory with the same feelings as she experienced. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has cared for elderly parents or who may be facing future care of parents.

Karen wrote this book as a tribute to her family, whom she dearly loved. The stories of her early childhood were definitely seen through a child's eyes. Karen told this story with much forethought, and very much love! I felt as though I were reading her personal diary at times, and then found myself immersed in a story about her family at other times.
Excellent reading, a poignant story!

When Karen Flickinger was searching for a French cookie baker (gallette iron,) she was led to my website where I have family stories posted. As a result of this encounter, I found and bought Two Journeys to the Father and Karen Flickinger found and bought her cookie iron. I read the book in less than one day and found it to be an easy and delightful read. The book so closely paralleled my own life, I couldn't put it down.
The Two Journeys to the Father is a tribute to her parents and grandparents as she remembers and relates their life stories even unto death. Since I feel such a debt of gratitude to my own ancestors, I could relate to these vividly revealed stories with exciting memories of my own.
As I compared my life stories to those of Flickinger's family, the similarities were uncanny. It was then that I realized this is a book for almost everyone, since most of us have memories of our lives and those of our families. If you are young and have not yet experienced these "slices of life," you can learn a lot. If you are older and have lived through many of these experiences yourself, you will enjoy vicariously feeling and enjoying many beautiful emotions once more.

My emotional response to "Two Journeys to the Father" and identification with the author's memories and thoughts pleasantly surprised me.

Karen Flickinger succeeds very well in her telling "this is the way it was" with terse, interesting description. She draws deft pictures with her unusual choices of words.

I was especially impressed with Karen's loving demonstration of respect for parents and elders. That is a much needed emphasis today. Honoring parents' wishes, with love, is a valuable societal quality, as well as a religious teaching with promise of reward.

I have passed a complimentary copy on to the administrator of the assisted living facility which now is my home. I think "Two Journeys to the Father" is entirely appropriate to add to our library as a resource book here, even though Karen's mother rejected the assisted living option.

I have seen how we here, at The Inn at Chappel Creek, have had to struggle with acceptance of relinquishing control, and with looking at our own end of life. In her book, the author has made the gospel clear and compelling in an appealing way. New life with The Father is our ultimate assurance and joy.

Two Journeys to the Father is a heartwarming book about family values and being there for your family through the years. As the author takes you through her journey of growing up and eventually being the care giver for her parents you will identify with her joys and sorrows. It will take you back to your own childhood and you may even feel as though you had a part in writing the book somehow. It was tastefully written and will bring satisfaction, as you Journey to the Father, through the true lives of these characters. Let Karen take you through this memorable journey!

James Joyce's Ulysses closely parallels the events of Homer's The Odyssey, but this journey is far more surreal than Homer could have ever dreamt. The story is set in one day, and mostly follows the principal character Leopold Bloom going through the day.
Ulysses does not follow typical conventions of literature, and therein lies its beauty and its freedom. The text is littered with puns and seemingly nonsensical and comical language, one of the highlights being the section written as a play in which all manner of chaos takes place. This text may at first appear to be senseless but perseverence will reward those who would spend time examining its language, which is often made up of multiple words, each constituent part of which relates to a wider topic. This is, in a sense, a scholalry text, as it is so much more than a story, and you need to have the willingness to at least attempt to understand the broader referential context, much of which I am also working on. If that seems like too much hard work, then I doubt Ulysses would provide much enjoyment to you, although that's not to say it can't be read without additional knowledge. It does help to know some of the things going on in Joyce's mind and the history/culture of his beloved Ireland.
The version being reviewed here is by Orchises Press, which is a fantastic reproduction of the very first edition of Ulysses printed by Shakespeare and Company. The binding is quite tight and the print quality superb. There is also plenty of space for literary scholars to scribble notes. As it is a sturdy edition, this is built to last. There is no introduction to the text or any essays, and some may prefer this. For first time readers, it can be better to read the text without any preconceptions, just like people who would have read it when it was first published. The cloth cover on this edition, as others have commented, appears a little greener than the original, but most surviving originals have aged to appear exactly like this anyway. As it so closely resembles a vintage copy, it is a very exciting prospect to read Ulysses in the same way its principal adoptors did in the early 1920s. As it is not a vintage copy, you do not need to worry about being ever so careful. Of course, it is still expensive and it is best to treat it with care, but if you had a 1922 copy, you would probably keep it in a cabinet, trying not to disturb its delicate state. For owners of the original who would love to read their vintage copy, but too afraid to, this may be a great solution. Ordering this from the UK from Amazon, it took about three weeks to arrive here from the US, and it was a really terrific moment when it arrived, removing the clingfilm and starting reading it. It is, as a side note, quite a shame that UK readers do not favour hardback editions of books. It is quite difficult to buy new editions of classic books on hardback, unless of course, you turn to the second hand market. It is just a shame that the UK does not seem to appreciate premeire hardback editions of classic texts. oh well...
In many ways the Orchises Press version suits both collectors and serious readers. Of course, it is more expensive than the paperback version, and recommended only to real enthusiasts. For me, this is a definitive edition because literary essays, introductions and annotations mean very little to me, as I like to derive my own impressions by reading and do my own research on specific things. As an MA Comparative Literature student interested in Joyce, I feel this edition can be used for serious research without the supplementary scholarly material because it leaves you free to have just the text and your impressions.
If this edition proves too dear, I believe the Modern Library (or was it Everyman's Luibrary) have an edition currently in print and should be available to order from most retail bookstores. I saw a copy in my local Borders for £13.99, and if you are considering getting a decent hardback edition, perhaps you could go for that edition, as the Modern Library has an excellent range of titles and deserves to be supported.

To conclude, Joyce had an extraordinary imagination and wonderful command of the English language. He is a master of the English language and this is one of his most captivating work. Personally I prefer Finnegans Wake because if you persevere with it, past the first 100 pages, you find some side-splittingly humourous puns. In any case, I will leave my fondness for Finnegans Wake for another review. For now, grab a copy of Ulysses and enter the bizarre world of Joyce where the ordinary mundane things become surreal adventures, and language becomes so unfamiliar that it begins to start making sense again.

The best edition of what's considered by many the apotheosis of English fiction. As mentioned in the front matter, "this book reproduces, as closely as offset printing will allow, Roger Lathbury's copy of the first edition of Ulysses published by Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare and Company in Paris in 1922. Broken type, signature numbers, and the colophon have been left as printed." Editorial slip-ups are therefore obviously included, adding a quaint historical nuance.

The perfect gift for any fan of Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom, this edition is elegant, a pleasure to hold and read, and ideal for anyone new to and wishing to appreciate Ulysses. (Most mass market editions, while well edited, are otherwise cheap products.)

Two outstanding aids for appreciating Ulysses are Wings of Art: Joseph Campbell on James Joyce, and Stuart Gilbert's James Joyce's Ulysses.

The Orchises Press edition stands out for three reasons. The first is that it reproduces--with impressive attention to detail--the first edition of Joyce's novel. The second reason is that the large, widemargined pages add the pleasure of reading to the pleasure of reading Ulysses (there is something missing, after all, in the insubstantial, tinytype levity of the paperback editions). Finally, the weight of the paper, the strength of the binding makes this edition one that will last (and you will not, as with the paperback editions, be forced to transcripe all your notes from a book that falls apart after three readings). For those who seek the "authenticity" of a first edition, who admire Joyce or who will be studying the novel for years to come, this is the edition to buy.

The three previous reviews are right on: to my mind (and I confess that I am not unique in this) Ulysses is the greatest novel in world literature. It is unrivalled in style (who could rival it?) or in character. And who is not moved by the pathos and humor of the book, the sorrows and triumphs of L Boom? This lovely edition befits the novel itself. You may want to read and re-read and take notes in "corrected" editions. This is the one to stare at lovingly, longingly.

Let's not mince words: Ulysses is one of the highest achievements of literary modernism. But it is also a book that must be read again and again (and again) if it is to be understood and enjoyed. Why buy a pulpy and cheaply made edition that falls to pieces on the second read? The Orchises edition, as a physical artefact, is not only aesthetically worthy of the text it presents (including the generous white space framing the text itself)--it also has the durability and weight you'd normally expect from a Bible.

Other reviewers have detailed how this book is a faithful facsimile of the 1922 editions. The only other thing I would add is that this is the edition whose colour scheme Joyce himself oversaw: The white text and blue background of the cover symbolise the pentelic marble of Greece and the greenblue of the Mediterranean respectively (which are also the colours of the Greek flag).

I thoroughly recommend this beautiful book for anyone who is serious about Ulysses.

Street and subways in urban areas are increasingly inhospitable to walkers even as health publications advocate more walking for health: that's why the message in WALK FOR YOUR LIFE: RESTORING NEIGHBORHOOD WALKWAYS TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY LIFE, IMPROVE STREET SAFETY AND REDUCE OBESITY is so essential. Author Marie Demers, Ph.D. has been a health researcher for the past twenty-five years: her background of psychology, biology and anthropology lend to a survey of urban environments and what creates and encourages a 'walkable' environment to bring back both health and community sense. An excellent call for better urban planning reinforcing the health benefits of walking.

My wife picked up this book for me, since she knew I am interested in walkable communities, and it didn't disappoint.

It is filled with the history of communities, and takes a page from Kunstler's earlier works regarding suburbia and sprawl. I liked the ties that she made between our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and obesity, illness, and childhood disease. Ms. Demers discusses our dependence on cars, the hostile environment design to limit walking to desitinations. She finishes the book with some suggested solutions, for individuals, communities, and the design of future neighborhoods. Some of the information in the book I have gathered from other sources, but it is a good overall reference for walkable communities, and increasing the amount of walking that you do in your daily life. I especially liked some of the "side" stories that she had in there. For example, how advances in packaging and decreased food preparation and clean-up has made our lives easier, but has led to more time on the couch and less time that would have been spent standing to prepare a meal and then clean it up after. (That's why that fat-free cake didn't lead to my weight loss...heh heh)

It comes with a 4/5 star recommendation from me. I would have given the 5th star if there was more information on how to go about affecting change in your community (petitions, attending town meetings, etc.) Pick it up from Amazonm for a good quick informative read.

In Walk For Your Life!: Restoring Neighborhood Walkways To Enhance Community Life, Improve Street Safety And Reduce Obesity, author Marie Demers draws upon her more than twenty-five years experience as a health researcher, an epidemiology, as well as her background in psychology, biology, and anthropology, and worldwide travels to create a comprehensive and utterly persuasive argument in favor of creating safe, health inducing, walkways in urban and suburban locales so that men and women of all ages and health conditions can obtain the undeniably benefits of regular exercise through the simple means of walking. Indeed, Demers lays out a clear and convincing case for the restoration of a "walkable" environment that would have the additional social benefits of enhancing community life while addressing the current obesity epidemic. Walk For Your Life! is "must" reading for anyone seeking to establish the opportunity for more mobile, healthy inducing, pleasurable opportunities and conditions in their community allowing them to walk their way into a better physical, mental, and emotional condition.

This is one of those elephants in the living room sorts of book. I liked reading it because it articulated many of my own frustrations about my neighborhood and my ability to be outside. "Is there a simpler or more natural activity than walking? Then, how could such a healthy human activity become so dangerous and unwelcome in just a few decades?" In Walk for your Life! these questions are asked and answered. How DID we suburbanites get to accepting, to not even thinking about the disappearance of walking as a daily occurrence, a no big deal sort of activity? I'm a baby boomer. I remember walking to school, staying out playing until dark. In my case, I now live in a neighborhood where our family has always commented on how completely convenient our home is to everything. And it is. We live on a lake, our home is very attractive. It's also within walking distance to the local convenience store, a little further a complete supermarket, the sports club, the post office and Fed Ex, seven or eight restaurants, bookstore, and every sort of retail store. And, when I first moved here, I actually did try to walk to these places. But, sporadic sidewalks give way to narrowed or non-existent shoulders on the roads where I had to wait until the cars let up and then sprint across those areas. Not to mention, I felt conspicuous as I walked along. Not another soul in sight the entire walk, other than in passing cars. I remember thinking that if I ever tried this again, I needed to be dressed as a jogger. What I had been trying to do was walk as a means of transportation, not for exercise or as a special leisure activity. I didn't realize that until I read this book. A ha! I saw a really big elephant and it's shaped like a SUV! So, our home IS convenient, as long as we use our car. Walk for your Life! points out what is wrong with this picture, and offers ways to bring back all kinds of walking into our lives.
The book made me think about my own life as a walker and also about the big picture -- road and town planning and zoning, about watching life on TV rather than being outside in it with my neighbors, about reduced health and being fat for not moving around more. It's not only worth reading, it's also well written and very readable. It's also got a great list of resources - organizations that promote walking, other books, websites.

Walk For Your Life is an articulate perspective on why the art of walking is on the decline in our computerized, automated and industrialized world. With obesity at an all-time high, especially among children and teens, and obesity- and sedentary lifestyle-related diseases precipitously on the rise, this is an important and timely new book!

Epidemiologist and walking enthusiast, Dr. Marie Demers, explains how our attitudes toward walking are a sociological phenomenon and not just an idiosyncratic personal response to environmental factors. We drive cars to the supermarket or the mall because our communities have been designed around the automobile rather than the on the human scale of the older walkable neighborhoods and communities.

This book offers encouragement to individuals to walk more regularly and purposefully. It offers advise to community planners, zoning boards and educators on how to create and/or maintain the "walkability" and pedestrian safety of our communities. And it offers a vision for a healthier, friendlier and more active society where walking is enjoyed by all as a essential part of everyday life.

I heartily recommend Walk For Your Life! to everyone who wants
to be healthier and who wants to live in a healthier, safer and friendlier community.

I read this as a child and gave mine to my daughter to read when she was 8. Now my granddaughter is loving all of the books in this series - alas we lost mine along the way with moving but was able to find them in reprint thanks to Amazon.

This is a book I remember from my childhood. I loved it then--love it now. The book is in great condition, and the service was quick and easy.

This series, which follows the adventures of five young Jewish sisters in early 20th century New York, focuses here upon the girls' younger years, as well as the babyhood of little brother Charlie. Despite poverty and potentially dismal city living, the family's warmth, love and religious faith make every day an adventure.

With the exception of certain extending themes, such as the girls' new friend Guido, most chapters in this book may stand alone as vignettes told from various sisters' perspectives. Readers may tackle the book straight through, or select certain stories; this also makes the book an excellent choice for teachers and others reading aloud.

Chapters include:

1 - "Charlotte Catches the Stove" - On her morning to dress by the stove, Charlotte is intrigued by the glowing coals, deciding to pull a few out onto her dress with disatrous results.
2 - "One Stop After Another" - Stopping by Papa's junk shop, the sisters meet a mysterious Italian boy.
3 - "Christmas Stockings" - Seeing the beautiful doll her friend got for Christmas from a local charity, Henny schemes to get the same for her younger sisters.
4 - "Street Scene" - The girls encounter the mysterious Italian boy, Guido, as he's being accused of stealing from a street vendor.
5 - "Purim Jester" - Eldest sister Ella wants to play the queen in the annual Hebrew School pageant, but winds up the jester instead.
6 - "Business of the Bath" - All five sisters vie for the priviledge of bathing their baby brother; but true chaos ensues when Henny invites five of her girlfriends to "help" as well.
7 - "Ella Lends a Helping Hand" - Ella runs into Guido on the street and offers to help him on an errand. Their return trip to his home shows Ella just how sick his mother really is.
8 - "The Wrong Side of the Bed" - Henny has such a bad day, she decides to run away from home.
9 - "Hijinks at the Settlement" - The sisters visit Guido at the settlement house, where he is staying with a nurse, and do their best to cheer him up.
10 - "Guests for Supper" - Guido and nurse Miss Carey visit the family for supper, learning about Miss Carey's tragic past.
11 - "Sarah is Sewed Up" - Sarah is excited to get pierced ears for her tenth birthday...until she's determined to use the money toward a worthier cause.
12 - "Simchas Torah" - The family prepares for the weeklong Succos celebration.
13 - "A Thanksgiving to Remember" - The family celebrates a joyous holiday, and learn of Miss Carey's and Guido's future plans.

Although certain aspects of the girls' early 20th century life may be foreign to today's young readers, the overall plots and themes certainly won't be overlooked. Whether today or a hundred years ago, children are guaranteed to enjoy reading about the sisters' adventures, their warm and loving home, and the things they dream about and strive toward.

Although this is the 4th book of the series, it actually takes place between All-of-a-Kind Family and More All-of-a-Kind Family. This story is part of the continuing tale of a Jewish family living in New York's lower East Side in the early 1900's. Although they are poor, they are rich in their love of each other and their friends. Now there is a new baby in the house and talented Ella, mischevious Henny, studious Sarah, dreamy Charlotte, and little Gertie help Mama with the baby and find friends along the way. In this book, we meet Guido, a poor Italian boy who is trying to care for his sick mother and Miss Carey, a nurse who works at the Settlement House. Through the eyes of these characters, we understand what it must have been like growing up in the lower East Side before World War I. We learn about their sorrows and their joy over the little things in life. A highly recommended book.

I have read All-of-a-Kind Family. It's about five little girls. Their names are Ella, Henny, Sara, Charlotte, and Gertie. This book has so much detail it feels real. One time Sara lost her library bok . She was so upset when she had to tell the library lady about it. The library lady was so nice that she said she could take out more books, but she still had to pay for the book she lost. I thought I was Sara. At the end of the book, their mother has a baby. Its name is Charley. Everyone was expecting a girl, but it was a boy. Gertie used to be the baby and did not want to be a big sister. When she sees the baby she bounces up and down because of him. Everyone was happy, Now that's an all-of-a-kind family! I Like this book a lot. It has lots of adventures. Read one page and you can't stop.

This is an interesting and well-illustrated book on ghost towns and mining camps in Arizona. The book is divided into eight sections (most in the southern part of the state), and within each section the various sites are described and located.

Each section has one major ghost town as its main attraction (Oatman, Swansea, Vulture, Sasco, Ruby, Jerome, Clifton, and Bisbee), and then several nearby sites are listed and described. Many photographs (historical and contemporary) are included, all of high quality and on slick paper, similar to the magazine Arizona Highways, which published the book.

Important for people who actually enjoy visiting ghost towns when possible, Varney tells exactly how to find each site, whether a high-clearance vehicle is necessary to get there, and whether each is on private property or not. The book is useful, informative, and a pleasure to read. Anyone interested in ghost towns in Arizona, whether as an armchair traveler or in-the-field explorer, will want to have this book.

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[Paired review with Ghost Towns of Colorado, by Philip Varney]

Ghost town books are traditionally rather scruffy affairs, with dim
photos, little organization and an amateurish look. Philip Varney
has raised the bar with these two books. Both feature clean design,
good directions to the sites, excellent photographs and well-written
text. Varley writes "I wanted a practical, informative guide that
would give me the details I needed next to me on the sea of my
truck." Both books are squarely on his mark.

The Colorado book is nicer: all the present-day photographs are in
color, and the extra 24 pages allow more photos and a bit more depth
to the text. But the Arizona book is no slouch: it has the advantage of
Arizona Highways' long experience in producing good, easy-to-use
guidebooks (plus it's cheaper). I've been to most of the sites in both
books; in almost every case I've learned something new from his
books. The photos are excellent, the maps and directions are easy to
follow, and Varney's writing style is personable and informative.

Either book will make a fine companion for your next Colorado or
Arizona vacation, even if you don't ordinarily pay much attention
to ghost towns. Those with an interest in Western history *need*
both books. And they're both excellent for armchair travellers.
We're already talking about a Colorado trip next summer --
Kathleen's never seen the *real* South Park.

Varney really has no competition for either state. These are the two
best ghost-own guidebooks I've seen. He'salso written ghost-town
guides for New Mexico (1987?) and Southern California (1990). The NM book is decent, but out-of-date. I haven't seen the other.

Happy reading--
Pete Tillman
Consulting Geologist, Tucson & Santa Fe (USA)

Pete Tillman visited his first Colorado ghost towns some 40 years ago, and has since been to hundreds more throughout the West, both for work and for fun. Vulture (AZ) is his current favorite "true" ghost. But, hmm, Bodie (CA) is bigger and better-kept.... And Jerome (AZ) has the best views... And I've *still* never been to Crystal (CO). So much to see, so little time....

I found this book to have some very interesting photographs and accurate information about the Arizona area. Good resource book for accurate historical information.

This book contains a wealth of factual background data on each ghost town, as well as numerous "back then" and "see it now" photographs. The book maintains the high standards expected from the publishers of "Arizona Highways Magazine"

This book is probably the best ghost town book published for any state in the U.S.. It is nicely divided up by area of Arizona. So you can easily travel to a particular area and visit a few ghost towns in a row in a rather short period of time. Each area has its principle site (uually the site with most to see and the most history). Also, two to six secondary sites area listed for each area. Then minor sites are also listed so you can prioritize you visits to maximize what you see in a smaller amount of time.
The author also includes detialed driving directions and if a four wheel drive or high clearance vehicle is needed to get there. The pictures in this book are amazing. I am guessing that there is information on over 100 ghost towns in this book. Due to the dry climate, the ghost towns here tend to stay pretty well preserved. And the author does a good job of showing you the best there is to see here. I have personally visited probably 30 to 50 of the towns in this book, and I am telling you it is worth every penny.

This book is my 2-year old daughter's favorite nighttime story. She loves the bright, big pictures that are on every page, and loves the bubbles! This book is our top choice for gifts so that all my daughter's friends can also enjoy the adventures of Becka and her Bubble. We can't wait to get the next book in the series.

We read the Becka books to my children most nights before bed - they love her!

This is a wonderful fantasy adventure with a loveable charactor. The poetry and sounds are fun for kids to follow. Highly recommended!

Becka & the Big Bubble is such an enchanting tale that my kids love to hear it every night before bed. Great book, I highly recommend it!!

My 2 boys love this book. It's full of adventure and imagination, which is exactly what my kids enjoy. It's a sweet and fun story. I'm asked to read it over and over again. This one is well worth buying.

I grew up in Castleton Vermont, where this story is set. I never realized that it was so well-known, I always thought it was only a locally known book, but it's a story that's always been dear to my heart. If we could all learn to sing the song of the river, the whole world could be as beautiful as our little town.

This book made me laugh and made me cry. It also did something that very few books have done before, it gave me hope. The book demonstrates how a love of honesty and beauty affect the lives of different people in different ways. It never falters or leaves the reader hanging. The best read in a long time!

I read this book when I was eight and it was one of my favorites--something magical and yet so real about this blue cat and its quest. Yet it was The River's Song that was the most compelling part of the book for me...the need to find one's own song, to create beauty in one's life and work, not directly to seek riches and power. I would credit it as one of the influences in my choosing writing children's books as a career. Over 60 published books later, I am stilll happily trying to sing my own song. Thank you dear spirit of Catherine Coblentz for your gentle guide to living. This book is a treasure for those who find it.

I read this book in 4th grade. The reading level is about 5-7th grade, not for babies or toddlers. The plot of the book is based on a number of items in the Metropolitan Museum of Art which all hale from a town in Vermont called Castleton. One of them is hand-woven carpet with a blue cat depicted on it. Another is a pewter teapot. Around these artifacts and the small amounts of information that could be gleaned on their history, the author has built a charming tale of a blue kitten in search of a home. Since he was born under a blue moon, the kitten can only find a home and a hearth in the house of a human who knows (or can be taught) the River's Song. The River's Song is the Song of Creation, of the making of beautiful things. The kitten encounters many inhabitants of Castletown in his quest and finds them falling under the dark spell of Arunah Hyde, whose whole interest is speed and wealth. The kitten himself nearly falls under the same spell, but escapes at the last minute. His quest seems doomed to fail, however, until he crosses the path of a lonely, ugly girl. This is a book that does not deserve to be out of print. It could easily be used in the classroom as a lesson in early American culture and history, but is also a just a very enjoyable and moving read.

I read this book as a child and still love it at 60. The book speaks about what it means to be an authentic human being through a parable about a special kitten who must find his way in the world on his own and triumphs over loss, disappointment, and exploitation to find self-realization. "'Sing your own song,' said the River, 'sing well.'" It is never too late to sing your own song, if your heart will let you. How the cat learned to do this is worth learning at any age. Now this is how I interpret what goes on in the story in today's vocabulary, not how the author puts it, but my point is the book is just as relevant today as when originally written. The experiences of this cat will hit home with all too many people today, both children and adults. The book is beautifully written by Catherine Coblentz, a lady who by the way spearheaded the establishment of the Cleveland Park branch of the D.C. Library, where there are etched glass drawings from the book. If kids today would buy in to a book like this and Wordsworth's Happy Warrior, they would have a better chance of growing up whole.

If you've ever wondered what the famed "Brimfield flea markets" are all about - now you can find out. Mr. Brown uses a compilation of newsworthy articles and human interest chapters to unveil the mystery surrounding the fields of the tiny Massachusetts town. Each May, July and September the rural village is transformed into a world-renown marketplace, and Mr. Brown is located in the center of it all. A book worth reading.

Brimfield: The Collector's Paradise is a real treat to collectors. It gives the reader a glimpse of what the buzz of Brimfield is all about. A compilation of articles, profiles, etc. gives one a personal peek into what exactly happens each May, July and Sept. Both exciting and informative, this book, written by someone "in the know" is much more than a research volume - it is great fun to read!

I read the book prior to my first buying trip to Brimfield. Mr.Brown passed on some interesting history on the shows. Also, the assorted chapters revealed something of interest in almost all aspects of the flea market. I even had the pleasure of meeting the famous "lady in the white hat!" If you love antique shows as much as I do, you will enjoy this book.

Full of photos, quotes, commentary and good writing, this book is a simple pleasure for everyone interested in flea markets. Dubbed the grandaddy of all markets, Brimfield just keeps getting bigger and better. I've been there and I know, but thanks to Mr. Brown's book, readers everywhere can realize what the hoopla in Brimfield is all about. RECOMMENDED READING *****

When I became managing editor of the BRIMFIELD ANTIQUE GUIDE over eight years ago it didn't take long to learn how significant Brimfield had become to the world of antiques and collectibles.Rob al-ready had a book in mind.

For nearly four years I was witness to the diligent and ardent research assembling an idea into a finished product, from formulating a table of contents to selecting an appropriate front and back cover.

There are numerous dimensions in a location as large and diverse as Brimfield, and Rob has adeptly captured many salient aspects about Brimfield. Taken into consideration is a section on how other writers have viewed Brimfield over the years as well as an overview of the early years when Brimfield was literally a one family affair.

Rob's book is not for everyone, to be sure. But it is a must read for the 1000s of dealers and buyers who travel to Brimfield each year, their "mecca."

B