Media Books

The first time I read this, I simply did not get it. But then I read it again with an open mind combined with my own fond memories of picking huckleberries in the Idaho mountains and soon was more acclimated to this charming little rhyme. The repetion of vowels is great for little ears and the pictures truly are wonderfully whimsical. I still don't get it, but it certainly is darling.

I found this book on Amazon based on execellent reviews and looking for entertaining books for my 18 month grandson. This book rocks. All kinds of rhymes, which is fun for the reader (grandma) as well as the listener, artwork is very cool so that every time you read the book (20 times a day) you can point out a new frog here, an elephant in tights there, choo choo trains in silhouette after seeing them full of berries. Bottom line - berries are yummy and a great berry story is awesome - and this book celebrates berries.

Although the rhymes as nice and the content of picking various berries come into play - I think the pages are way too busy with lots of illustrations that distracts the story and causes focus problems.

I love this book. I love the rhythm of it, I love the note at the end, I love the dedication - love it.

Unfortunately, I've yet to get either of my nieces overly involved in it. They'll sit through it, but they won't request it :(

So I've had to take a star off what I'd normally rank this book as because, in my house, it's just not doing its job. I don't know why they don't love it, they just don't.

This book was a favorite with our first child 10 years ago, and we just bought another copy for our 1-yr.-old! I love the flowing, rhyming prose, and the illustrations allow for so much discussion and interaction. As with Dr. Suess books, I find myself repeating the words throughout the day (like when we're eating berries!) I definitely recommend this book!

Passing the Flame: A Beadmaker's Guide to Detail and Design

This book is excellent for those just beginning lampwork. There is so much information in this book. Corina goes through many simple techniques to create complex beads. Corina explains at least two ways of doing each technique and she also explains why certain things work and do not work. I was amazed at the beads that I could make with just dots. The book also talks about specific colors and how they react particularly purple and pink which are difficult colors in the glass world. The book is packed with so much information. The book also talks about how to create more complex and difficult beads. Whether the process is simple or complex there are step by step pictures and pictures of variations on each bead. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in making glass beads. I have bought 3 other books on the subject and all of them put together don't even come close to giving as much information. The book is higher priced than some of the others but it is well worth it. I wish I had purchased it first it would have been all I needed.

Un grand merci à Corina pour partager son savoir faire ! Livre complet, avec pleins d'astuces très utiles, facile à lire et surtout pleins de superbes photos !

1001 TRESORS du SUD (kit chalumeau en vente dans ma boutique)

A really good introduction and reference book. The instructions are clear and the photographs of all the key stages mean you can follow them in your own workshop. I have taken an introductory course and armed with this book feel able to develop my skills and try new techniques.

I had read another book on making lampwork beads which left me wanting so much more. I decided to purchase Passing the Flame and wish I would have purchased it first. Cornia's step by step instructions are what I needed as a beginner. I read her instructions, try making the bead and if I fail read the instructions again. This is a must have book for any lampwork bead creator, especially if you are a beginner. She "talks" to you and makes everything very understandable. I can't thank her enough for her instructions and tips.

Es un libro completo, excelente para los que comenzamos en este bello hobby, los paso a paso, asi como las demas explicaciones son tan graficas que se entienden facilmente aun estando en otro idioma, lo recomiendo ampliamente, ahora será más facil para mi realizar el curso de lampworking, gracias.

This was such a great book when I read it many years ago. I've recently gotten ahold of a copy and have to say that it's still a great read, especially when we are surounded by object in our daily lives that seem capable of their own thoughts and motives. It's also nice to see young people painted in such a way where they're not just miniature adults but actual kids reacting well to tough situations. I always wanted to learn more about what happened to Ellen and Otto and imagined they both continued to be self-sufficient individuals who went on to do quite well for themselves.

The Silver Crown by Robert C. O'Brien is a wonderful fantasy about a girl named Ellen Carroll. Ellen wakes up one day and finds a silver crown on her bedside table. Shortly after, her house burns down with her family inside. Not knowing what else to do, Ellen decides to hitchhike to her Aunt's house. But then she finds the person who burnt down her house is stalking her because he wants to kidnap her and take her silver crown.

The book begins with Ellen receiving a silver crown in the mail on her birthday. The next thing she knows, her house has burned down, her family is missing and people are willing to engage in mayhem and murder to find her. Ellen decides she needs to visit an aunt and sets out on foot to find her. She eventually meets up with a somewhat mysterious young boy and they attempt to solve the mystery of the crown and get Ellen to safety. This book was written in 1969 and at times it really shows. For example, that Ellen wears pants briefly and gets messy is considered striking within the book. However, in the end the book is driven by Ellen's determination and will.

I first bought this book when I was 12 years old at a book fair at school. I absolutely adored it and read it repeatedly for the next year. I gave it away to someone and never got it back. Only recently have I thought about it again and decided that Amazon was the first place to look for it. When I had read it again I couldn't believe how much of it I remembered from many moons ago. It was the first book to capture my interest in fantasy writing and I have never looked back since.

I first this book when I was about 12, and it remains on my shelf to this day (I'm now 35.) I highly recommend it for kids who enjoy fantasy books. Yes, it's dark and has genuinely creepy moments in it--but I see no reason that should discourage young readers or their parents, as it's an extremely engaging tale of a little girl battling the forces of evil. Resourceful girl characters are in short supply in children's fantasy literature, so this shouldn't be passed over.

The issues raised in another review here (regarding the unhelpfulness of adult authority figures in the book, and Ellen's bad descision to accept a ride from a stranger) would be points well taken if this were a book for 5 year olds. However, any child old enough to read and appreciate this book should be well past the point of learning that policemen are generally good and that hitchhiking is unwise. Give kids some credit! And give them good books, like this one.

I love this book in that the purpose and benefits of brain wave vibration are so clearly communicated. The tone is light, but I really feel Ilchi Lee's wish for this world to become peaceful. And this book provides a simple and fun way for us all to become peaceful and happy in our lives--just move your body to the music. Easy message with a revolutionary result: everyone needs to read this book and experience brain wave vibration.

The book gives new way of thinking how to create positive changes in one's life and health. It's so simple, too simple for people to accept and give it a try. Yet, once you try it, it works!

I found this book to be a good read, and the training it suggest fairly useful for dealing with my day to day stressors. The training is pretty simple, from a sitting, standing or lying posture gentle shake your head, arms and legs, if mobility is limited someone else can help you with this.

Take a few minutes with this vibration and then stop and really listen, really feel what's going on and what your body is trying to tell you. Chances are you've been doing something your body wasn't too happy about and this is a good chance to find out what and give you the option of changing it.

I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting to have a better mind/body connection.

Brain wave vibration is a natural method of healing that enables focus on what's going on in your body.Life is full of many distractions and we are thrown so many ideas that appeal to our ego.
This is something I would never have believed could have created such significant changes and improvements in my life and those around me.
Highly recommend this to anyone who has reached that crossroads and knows they need to grow but not sure how....

This book captured me right away. I couldn't put it down. It makes the technic so simple to understand and easy to experience the effects of setting you brain waves at a more healthy level. I've been doing BWV for 10 months and I can say, it works! I no longer have to take medication for Acid Refux or pain relievers for constant headaches. I don't grind my teeth any more. I have lost 20 lbs, with out even trying. My freinds and family noticed how calm I have become. The great thing is you can do it any time you are feeling out of sorts and within minutes you feel better. Having the right rythmic music helps. So I recomend getting the BWV music CD too. I have shared this with my family and friends and they have their own stories to tell on how they have started healing themselves. WOW!

I loved this series in middle school and would highly recommend it as a fun leisure read for children in that age bracket.

The last book of the enchanted forest chronicles, it is as funny. It is a sequel to Calling on Dragons and the end of the story is a happily ever after for a lot of characters and a not so happy ending for others. It is a book that should not be missed.

My daughters often read the four books from the Enchanted Forest series by Patricia C. Wrede. They came across the books a couple years back. They seem to check out the books and audio tapes every couple months. Over the last year I have listened to bits and pieces of the series.

Talking to Dragons is was the first book published, but it is really the fourth in the series. The hero of the story is a 16 year old boy by the name of Daystar. For the first 16 years of his life he lived on the edge of the Enchanted Forest with his mother. Then one day his mother gives him a sword and sends him out into Enchanted Forest. His mother tells him he has a mission, but won't tell him what the mission is.

Fairly quickly Daystar bumps into a fire-witch. They are both in trouble with wizards, and decide to stick together. Daystar was taught to always be polite to dragons. They come across a young dragon. Daystar is very polite and the dragon joins the group. Near the end of the book Daystar finally figures out his mission and helps save the day.

This is a fun book. It moves along well. I stayed up till midnight to finish it. If your children like fantasy, you might have them try this book.

Talking To Dragons Jane Yolen Books,
Patricia C. Wrede ISBN 0-15-284247-0

Talking to Dragons is a great book about kings, princes, princesses, dragons, and wizards by Patricia C. Wrede. It takes place in Enchanted Forest. The narrator of the book is the main character, Daystar.
One day Daystar's mom tells him to go on a quest that he knows nothing about. He started out on a quest and meets new creatures and people, some of them become his companions and some his enemies.
His companions, a young fire witch named Shiara and a young dragon, become really good friends with him. They help him on his quest. After a while he started to figure out that the sword his mom gave him was important because everybody wanted it. People called it "The Sword of the Sleeping King." All he knew is that he needed to go through a cave to be where he was supposed to.
At the end he found the Sleeping King and everybody was reunited. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and also a happy ending. I recommend reading the first three books Dealing With Dragons, Searching For Dragons and Calling for Dragons.

PR28

All the Enchanted Forest Chronicles are so much fun! Definitely at my top of Harry Potter fan recommendations. They're just such an amusing read; I even teach with them. Don't forget to read "The Frying Pan of Doom."

After reading the installment from the Halo universe "The Flood" (take my advice don't) it was with great anticipation that I sat down to read this book written by Nylund. I thought maybe he had just gotten lucky the first time around with The Fall of Reach and his style would be as hard to follow as the other guy's.

Don't walk into it with that attitude guys. This is a Halo book written by a guy who sounds like he has actually played the game and knows what the fans want. I look forward to checking out other installments.

The third book First Strike is set after the destruction of Alpha Halo and is about how the Master Chief, Cortana, his fellow Spartans, and some human survivors return to Earth in a captured Covenant Flagship: Ascendant Justice by first stopping by the colony Reach to track any covenant homing beacons to be sure not to reveal the location of Earth to the Covenant. After they find other Spartan, Vice Admiral Whitcomb, and Dr. Catherine Halsey they leave Reach in a damaged justice and later form a temporary alliance with separatist rebels in order to gain repairs. After another fight with a covenant ship, Dr. Halsey enters slipspace in a stolen ship and exfiltrates Spartan "Kelly". Later after hearing from Cortana that the Covenant are headed to Earth, The Chief and his fellow Spartans decide to go on a mission to disrupt the covenant operations by destroying the "Unyielding Hierophant" a vital battle station between the Covenant fleet and Earth. With authorization from the Admiral, the Chief and his fellow Spartans set out for the Hierophant and successfully overload its reactor. They escape on a covenant dropship and get picked up by the justice. Whitcomb and Lieutenant Haverson trick the Covenant fleet into coming near the Hierophant heavily damaging the covenant fleet allowing the chief and his team to escape. Meanwhile on the covenant capital ship: "High Charity" the Chieftain Tartarus and the High Prophet of truth discuss the fate of an Elite who allowed Alpha Halo to be destroyed and and the Ascendant Justice to be Captured.

Overall I'd say this is a good story that bridges the gap between Halo 1 and Halo 2. If you have any questions after you finished the first halo game, I suggest you read this book. It explains how the Covenant were able to discover the location of Earth, and how the Master Chief was able to return to Earth after the destruction of Halo and many more. This is a good read if even if you haven't played the game. But if you want to understand the story better, I suggest you play the first Halo game or read the first two books. (Halo: Fall of Reach, Halo: The Flood).

I haven't been a fan of the Halo Series for long, but after playing Halo 3 I was curious about the story. I found a copy of this book and was happily surprised. Based on the game, I wasn't expecting much, but this book builds a great story around the already famous characters.

The book doesn't require a big understanding of the Halo universe. Some background info does help, of course that makes a little sense because this is not the first book. Anyway, the characters in the book are well developed and the action will keep you reading until the end. Master Chief are Cortana are both expanded upon and the supporting character are all very likable.

The only small problems I found was that many of the characters actions seemed a little dumbed down, almost as if this book was targeting a younger audience (despite the games M rating). Sometimes the book repeats previous sections of plot to remind you. This was annoying to me. Still, that is not enough to detract from the story, which is very good. Worth Reading.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes futuristic war, blood and gore violence, and a little love story between John(a.k.a. Masterchief) and Cortana his personal artificial intelegents bot. Aliens try to invade and destroy Earth with plasma shots and bombs in a destinguished pattern. Masterchief finds survivors and they hi-jack a covenant ship and try to get back to REach. The other spartansare already on Reach. They and Dr. Halsey discover that there is much more to Reach the thought. The doctor finds old documents and maps of the station at Reach. Find out what happens when Halo is detonated.

SPARTAN-104, Fredrick, twirled a combat knife, his fingers nimble despite the bulky MJOLNIR combat armor that encased his body. The blade traced a complicated series of arcs in the air. The few remaining naval personnel on the deck turned pale and averted their eyes- a Spartan wielding a knife was generally accompanied by the presence of several dead bodies. In the beginning of the book, it starts with twenty-six SPARTANS going to the planet reach and three SPARTANS staying on the space dock. The Master Chief (aka SPARTAN-117) was the leader of the "space op" and Fred (another SPARTAN) was the Red-Team leader on the planet reach. Red-Team thought that they got the easy job, land on Reach and protect the MAC (Magnetically Accelerated Cannon) gun (the cannon uses magnets to pull the projectile) generators. When the Pelican was going to the planet, Covenant Seraphs attacked the drop ship and four Longsword Fighters had to fight them away. Even then, the drop ship didn't have a safe landing. All of the Spartans (26 of them) had to bail going just below Mach 1. Fred told them to them to overload their hydrostatic gel and curl into a ball just before landing. Only four of them were killed from the landing. When the Chief was stuck in a sector of space where there was nothing but "dust and echoes," and the worst part is, they only have a couple of hours of air and they don't have the capabilities of slip space (it would take over five years to get to the nearest planet). Latter in the book the planet Reach is destroyed by the Covenant. The one spot that the Covenant did not "glass over" was full of them. The thing that they were looking for was the "Holy Light." The "Holy Light" is a radioactive mystery crystal. Dr. Halsey got the crystal and all of them ran literally for their lives. Alter they reach an asteroid belt they look for a place to hide from the single Covenant ship that was able to follow them. They found a rebel base and convinced them to repair the ship by blowing up an asteroid the size of their base with one of seven plasma cannons. The covenant fleet catches up with them and the escape again. I recommend this book to anyone who likes the books about HALO.
This book tells about the planet Reach and a little about the book The Flood (another book in the series). This book is not good for a "Quick Read."
If you wondered how Reach was destroyed, read this book. I learned about many things I didn't understand in the other books.
In conclusion, this book was a great read and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

A. Snively

If you like horses this book is for you. The basic plot:
-after a shipwreck, a kid ends up stranded on an island with a horse
-the two befriend each other and help each other (kid feeds horse, horse kills snake near kid)
-the two our found and taken back to NY, where the kid lives
-all are happy to see the kid's alive
-the horse has amazing talent in the field of racing, but the kid has no papers for the horse so he is unable to race it
-they find a race that was set up by the owners of the horses and ask the owners if he can be entered into it
-they say yes
The book ends with a thrilling race that you feel you are riding in.

A boy and his horse.


In something of a change of pace, a horse book that may just be slightly more directed at boys than girls, although the plot stays fairly similar.

Boy helps out horse in island shipwreck situation. Horse returns the favour. Horse of course is an impressive specimen and can do the fast running thing quite nicely.

So, off to the races then go.

Strange in a way that I loved this book so much when I read it in fourth grade, because, ironically, in real life, horses kind of scare me. I think Walter Farley's book is magical and I hope others who read it find as much meaning as I did in the story of a boy named Alec Ramsey, who survives a shipwreck and befriends a magnificent black Arabian stallion. Yes, this enduring classic is basically a fantasy, but sometimes it takes fantasy to create a book that is capable of touching the human soul in the exact way this one does.

What would you do if your horse saved you from the frightening death of drowning? Then what would you do if that horse was taken away from you? That is exactly what Alec thought of in the fictional book The Black Stallion written by Walter Farley.

Alec was on a ship back to his homeland, when the ship got in contact with a glacier. No one even thought of about saving that horrible, kicking, horse in the stables. Though Alec knew it was the right thing so he went into the stables and saved the horse. As they jumped off the ship, Alec was too weak to swim. So the stallion swam miles with Alec at the end of the stallions lead rope, until they saw land. They were stuck on that island fighting to survive as their friendship grew between them. One day a ship came and saved them. In a couple of days they would be at home. The stallion was named The Black and was kept in an older barn behind Alec's house.

I couldn't put this book down. This whole series was amazing. Anyone who loves horses would love these books. This book made me happy, nervous, and sad. It also made me cry. I think everyone should experience these feelings when you read a book.

-Courtney Dommer

This book is a must-read for any child. When I was young I read lots of Jack London books and I also read the entire Walter Farley Black Stallion series. Walter Farley's books are written in a very simple style, easy for young readers to understand. The movie is a timeless classic & was so well done. Some children will find the movie slow (no talking during the whole island sequence) but if your child appreciates beautiful images, and is horse-crazy, they'll love the film. I now own a black Arabian stallion of my own...so be careful, Black Stallion books can cause a lifelong horse addiction!

Dance of Anger is the most important book I've ever read in my life. It helped me get through a very challenging time, and I read it again every once in a while just to revisit its important lessons. If you have anger, read this book!

This book has changed my life and the way I now see all of my relationships. The first chapter however is a little bit of history and to me seemed a little "pro-women". Once you get through that chapter the rest of the book is wonderful. Easy example and serious is explained and can be interpreted into your own life. It really opened my eyes in a lot of areas of my life. It actually showed me that what I thought was other emotions was actually anger and that the patterns I was in were causing it. I have re-read the entire book (minus the first chapter) twice now, and highlighted important thoughts, example for a refresher when needed! I would recommend this book and have actually bought a few friends there own copies to help them! If you haven't read it, I would say start reading now! I know the first time I read it I couldn't put it down! Life changing read!!!!

was just a bunch of stories and told me nothing I didn't know already. It was okay as a one time read but not something you can read over and over. Might be good for some but I wasn't impressed.

It s changed my life, talk about a paradigm shift, a must read for all

This book is extremely helpful. I often wondered why I give up so much of my own personality to blend in. Now I am working on recovering my personality so I can be a leader and be myself. I am sure there are enough doormats in the world without me being one too. Everyone should read this book!

This is a well-organized text that clearly was written by someone who speaks with the authority of experience.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson has delivered a resource that I would recommend reading on an as-needed basis by consulting the specific chapters relating to particular marketing challenges as they arise.

The way the book is laid out, with chapters ranging from using the Web to using postcards, you'll certainly find the step-by-step details for whatever task you're trying to accomplish. Scan the book initially, to get a good feel for its organization and scope. But save the careful page views for those times when you find yourself tackling specific promotional tasks.


J.D. Mosley-Matchett, Ph.D.
Author of A month of Marketing Technology tips

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's book, The Frugal Book Promoter, is best described as a compendium of book promotion ideas culled from her personal experience as a successful and award wining author as well as what must have been considerable time surfing the internet.
A wide range of topics are covered and in some cases just briefly touched upon. However, internet resources are listed throughout for those who want to dive deeper into a specific area. The links I was most interested in were still active and I found the sites I was directed to to be helpful.
While I would likely have been able to find these resources on my own had I the time to surf the net, this guide is very good at pulling all of this information together in a well categorized fashion which saves considerable time for those wishing to promote their book.
What does stand alone in this book are the chapters dedicated to building a media kit and the credentials for such a kit. For those that have done this before, it is not new, but for newly published authors it can be very valuable.
Finally, the advice on branding yourself as an author is very true. Readers buy books because of their authors not because of the publisher or the book title. Find a way to brand yourself - Carolyn has certainly done this effectively.

Todd A Fonseca, author of The Time Cavern (www.thetimecavern.com)

This book contains so much useful information. It is definitely an outline for success. Every writer who wants to publish their book should read this book for better selling power. A must have!

Great value for self published authors looking for hands on resources for marketing their book. Alot of good information.

Authors are increasingly coming to appreciate the fact that by the time their book is written, only half of the job is done. Promoting the book may take as much or more time than writing it. Unless authors are internationally famous or very lucky the proceeds from book sales may not allow for expensive promotion. The solution is to do it frugally. Carolyn Howard-Johnson's [[ASIN: 193299310X The Frugal Book Promoter]] helps authors to do just that. While the ways to promote a book are increasingly becoming known through books and online resources, everything cannot be in one book. I found many tips in The Frugal Book Promoter that I had not seen elsewhere. I recommend it to all authors.

Honestly the first time I saw this anime on T.V., I was turned off by the whole crazy psychotic demon stuff. Then I decided to give this anime a chance, and after the first episode, I was hooked. The story is about a girl who falls into a well and she ends up in feudal Japan. Bizzare? Maybe at first, but after a while you'll say, wow that well gos great with the story.
So I decided to purchase the first volume of the manga, and now I will definately say, this is one of my most favorite series. The story involving and thrilling which also leaves for many unexpected events to happen where they end up fighting countless hordes of demons. All in all, this first volume of the manga will make you want to buy volume 2 of this great series.

I ordered the first two of the series.
I was pleased with the fact that they were a pretty good length, but I'm still reeling over the cost!
American dollars are bad. Very bad. Am so broke *droops*.
I love the story very much however, and Inuyasha makes a most adorable villian/good-guy. (confusing isn't it?)
I have shared it with a few of my friends. (Trusted ones mind you. Sooooo expensive to replace!)
They had a lot of reactions ranging from:
*yoink* "I'll see you after Japanese" *runs off clutching book muttering 'My preciousssss'*
To:
"Oh, they aren't very good quality drawings, are they?" *gets head bashed in by me*
And even!:
*Opens first page* "That girl looks really mad. Who is she?"
"Oh! He's a guy??? Are you sure???"
Yes. That really happened. That particular person also mistook Sesshoumaru for a female but I can forgive her for that.
I'd love to buy the rest of the series, but I'm pretty darn sure that I can live without it until the prices go down. One day.

Rumiko Takahashi is the writer of InuYasha, which is known by fans has being a Feudal Fairy Tale. InuYasha is a story about a average schoolgirl who is taken back in time through a well on her family's property. She soon discovers many facts abut herself and her destiny that makes one realize that she in no average schoolgirl. She, with the help of Inuyasha, a half human, half demon hybrid, must gather the shards of a Sacred Jewel that gan give demons enormous amounts of power. Now, one might think that this is just a simple story, that can't be very interesting, but one would be very wrong. InuYasha is a `historical action and romance from one of Japan's most beloved creators' with a touch of gothic horror. What more could one want? With a cast full of interesting characters, and even more interesting villains, anyone reading InuYasha will instantly fall in love with at least one of the characters, and instantly hate a few has well. I myself have read all the books in this series to date (Jan. 7, 2004) that are available. But, if you want to find anymore out about Kagome and Inuyasha's adventures, well... you'll just have to read the book yourself.

Allison R.

"Inu-Yasha" has one of the best stories I've ever read. It starts off simply, maybe a bit generic. From there though, you get to know the characters, and you really do sympathize with them. The relationships between them are not rushed, and the romance is done very well. The story gets better in every volume, too.

Anyone who loves manga should try out Inu-Yasha. It's popular for a reason.

There is a little nudity, but it's not done in a sexual way. Still, it's not something for small children.

Violent, gruesome, nudity. Should be removed from the shelves. My 7 year old son told me he read one of these books that a friend in his second grade class brought in. I purchased a few books in the series and we reviewed one for content. I was horrified to see that it talked about murder, a person saves a bucket of human livers and has to move to another town because he has run out of victims. There were pictures of nude girls on a few of the pages. Although it says it is for Teen on the back cover- Young kids are reading these books. My nephews, who are teens, think these books are for young kids. Most teens are not interested in reading them. Which shows that these books although labeled for teens have a young child audience. I am bringing the books I purchased last night, back to the store this morning.