Places Books

I love these books. I bought the President's Daughter back in middle school and many years later decided to complete the collection. Like someone else said, it is my go to book. I can read it over and over and still find new things in it. It is actually also how I learned how the election worked!! The first is the best in the series, but anyone who reads this will not be disappointed by the quality of writing, depth of the characters and knowledge gained about a presidential family. Meg is a delight!

Most teens are embarrassed by the things their parents do. But in Meg Powers' case, she and her family are under constant national scrutiny, for her senator mother has just announced her candidacy for president.

Although dealing with the issues surrounding Katharine Powers' campaigning and frequent travels, the Powers family is still refreshingly normal. Meg and her younger brothers regularly compete with dinnertime witticisms, and she and her best friend Beth spend embarrassingly long hours dreaming about the day that handsome and popular Rick will ask one of them out.

Firmly entrenched within '80s pop culture (references to things like Tab and Joan Jett are sprinkled throughout the book rather liberally), this story is simultaneously set in a time that has yet to come -- making it something of an anachronism, but a fun and quirky one.

This book is a sooooooooo cool! Sixteen year old Meg has two brothers. Her mom is a senetor.One day her mom decided to run for president. Meg is than thrown into getting used to everyday life being the presidents daughter while still juggling homework,friends,boys and family life. This isn's a book you will soon forget.

I have read and reread (and loved, especially the first one) all three Meghan Powers books in their original editions. I am grateful to Hawk Publishing for reprinting these three books (now called the "President's Daughter" series) so that more people can enjoy them, but I do feel that people should know that these reprints are not high quality. They are trade paperbacks with bindings that seem sturdy enough, but the text is not at all crisp -- in fact, it looks like the publisher may have enlarged the pages from the original mass market editions on a Xerox machine and then reprinted these new editions from those copies. I am basing this guess on the fact that the text looks enlarged and somewhat blurry.

The covers of all three of the reprint editions are hideous; the first one shows a girl who looks to be about 8 or 10 years old instead of a teenager. ...

If you can get past all that, these books are marvelous to read. The first book in particular was very entertaining and educational to boot. I learned a lot about the nomination process used at the Democratic National Convention. Meg's "voice" is unique and distinctive, and a lot of the book is laugh-out-loud funny. Again, I am grateful to Hawk for reprinting these, even if the quality is a little disappointing.

I first read the first two books when I was in high school...in the 80s. I enjoyed them then, and sorely regret loaning them to a younger cousin when I got to college and was ostensibly 'too old' for them. My local bookstore didn't carry "God Save the Queen," so I've never read that one.

I'm 36 now, and I've read one heckuva lot of books. But two of that stay with me are "The President's Daughter" and "White House Autumn." Like the very best in young adult fiction (Harry Potter, etc.), the themes are universal, the characterization is excellent, and the glimpse into another world is fascinating.

I owned this book before I even had children. I used it in the classroom as a teaching tool. To drive the point home, I would have the children try to mix piant together to make their shade of skin pigment. They were amazed at how no one is white, and no one is black.

This book is an example that we are different, but we aren't alone...There are others like us. We ARE all the same inside...

I bought this book in addition to the "never forget a face" memory game for a 3 year olds birthday party. One can never have enough multicultural things in such a global world!

Dirty Sally
Whoever you are is great look at introducing youngsters to cultural diversity. "Culture" basically refers to commonalities that run through a group of people with a shared heritage. Sometimes children probably believe that her culture - way of doing things - is the "right" one and that others are a bit "funny." As you read Whoever You Are, you can begin to look at other cultures with your child, aim for an appreciation of differences. Eventually, this will lead to an increased appreciation of the incredible variety of human attributes, flexible thinking, and less prejudice and stereotyping. This type of conversation has to take place. That is why I wrote a children's' book entitled, Dirty Sally..The untold stories of mixed race kids who find a new identity, love, faith and forgiveness through GOD.
There is an interesting story behind the title. I was often taunted or teased about being biracial. Some of my family members and friends called me Dirty Sally. Dirty Sally is an old slavery term used to identify the descendants or offspring of Sally Hemings, a former slave and the late President Thomas Jefferson. Sally Hemings was biracial her mother was ½ white and ½ black and her father white. This book focuses on the misconceptions surrounding racial identity and the importance of choosing one's racial identity. Dirty Sally is a must read not only for inter-racial families, but for all parents hoping to instill in their children a sense of understanding and compassion. I believe that change requires resistance and within that process we can help heal some of the wounds that continue to inflict on racially mixed children. Purchase available on Amazon.com the ISBN# is 9781432707743
For more information or to contact the author, Myrtice J. Edwards visit [...]

I bought this for my daughter who we adopted from Guatemala. It is one of her favorite books to read at bedtime and I love it too! Perfect for any adopted child!

I love this book. It has beautifully colored illustrations to go along with a wonderful message that no matter how different we all are, we are all the same in many ways...we all smile, laugh, hurt, cry, and experience joy, love, and pain the same way.

I actually like this. It's a good and colorful read for kids of all races and great for young readers.

I recommend this book for all little girls of color. This includes biracial and adopted girls who can also become quite conflicted about their amazing locks.

Even though they may be surrounded by friends and immediate family with similar hair, sometimes they stop seeing the rich beauty of their own hair. They start comparing themselves with their family members with different hair.

This book was perfect for us. A godsend.

I think this book should be given to every family that adopts across racial barriers and recommended to every African American and biracial family (where one parent is of African descent).

Even better it should be read in every elementary school in America. The beauties of long, straight (especially blond) hair is extolled throughout children's literature. So should people of all cultures hear the beauty of African hair extolled.

I loved Ms. Tarpley's comments about her own hair journey. I am so grateful that she wrote this book. I wish it had been around 60 years ago so that many generations of girls could have seen the beauty of their hair affirmed in print.

I have loved every book written by Ms. Tarpley. I find them educational and uplifting. This book is no exception.

My older niece loves this book, all about a black girl who, as you expect, loves her hair.

She describes it in various poetic and imaginative terms - her hair can be like a globe, or be spun into a braid; it's curly like a vine winding into space; she likes to wear her hair in "ponytails like wings".

There are some unnecessarily didactic elements - kids at school teased her, so her teacher talked to them about having Pride in Your Heritage (a good concept, the whole book is about that, but that page wasn't so well-handled, I think), and her mother starts talking to her directly about how she's "lucky to have this head of hair" when she complains that haircombing *hurts* sometimes.

Also, some of the illustrations have odd perspective - I'm thinking specifically of one where she's going down the street with beads in her hair.

However, overall this is a really great book. And my nieces (aged five and 2.5) agree. They love reading this book.

My daughter loved this book as it has vivid illustrations and really helps to promote a love for African American hair!

IF YOU WERE THINKING OF BUYING THE BOOK "NAPPY HAIR", GET THIS ONE INSTEAD. ITS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN.

This is an excellent book for building confidence in African-American girls about the natural beauty of their hair. The pictures are wonderfully done and contribute to the feeling of pride you get when reading this book. My daughter especially related to the part where the little girl makes music with the beads in her hair, and I try to remember to be as compassionate as the mom in the book when I comb her hair.

Absolutely outstanding.

At times, the truth contained in this book physically makes me ill. It's one thing to know about the evil in the world and quite another to see it with your eyes while you're reading.

Christians, particularly American Christians, need this book to help them break the spell of "Patriotism being equivalent to Biblical faith".

This country and it's Satanic monuments are disgusting and repulsive and, if not judged, God would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Having reseached the illuminati, new world order, globalism, etc for many years, I can say this is a must for any library on such subjects. Texe, truly this is your greatest work to date. Your courage is laudable.

Thanks

This book is excellent. Has great historical information and great pictures for illustration. Really helps the reader to understand why these Illuminati think the way they do, and why they make the architecture look the way it does. It was a page turner for me for sure. I even bought one to give as a birthday present.

excellent book texe marrs has done a great job my research in this subject has been helped by this book by 1000%

This massive book goes into symbolism which can be found all around us, their meanings and believes held by the people who create them.

I can think of a few more building to be included, but I guess that is the point there are so many structures around us you can not put all in one book.
Perhaps there will be another book?

Also look at "Codex Magica" by the same author.

Texe's powerful book awakens us to the fact that we are immortal Spiritual Beings temporarily entrapped in the realm of Illusion ... these symbols are indicators that we are in the "prison" planet of the "counterfeit god", the god of this world, who uses every means of deception to keep us prisoners in his domain of matter.
This "Negative power" is the prison warden ... our role is to purify ourselves by reconnecting inwardly , through Meditation, to the audible life stream (light and sound) ... thus escaping ... and return to our true home beyond the stars. Help others to Awaken read this book .

I am the parent who picks out books for the kids, whether it's at the library or the book store. It's not very often that my husband comments on my choices but this one he came to me right after our 3-yo daughter's bedtime and said how wonderful it is. The text is so lovely and tender, and the illustrations are so rich and lifelike. It really gives a sense of connection to both nature and family roots. A real pleasure for kids & parents alike.

I like this book very much and know that I will read it over and over to my grandchildren. The illustrations are excellent. The story is helpful (learning about the concept of history in a simple fashion) and told in a lyrical voice.

The other reviews did a great job describing this book. I agree with what they said about the beauty, emotion, and love in this book. Here are my top two reasons why this is an important book:

1. Richness of language. Developmentally, if children are exposed to language rich in vocabulary, structure, and grammar, it helps in so many ways. If you read a sentence each out of stack of random Disney, Sesame Street and other character books they all sound the same. If that is all children hear they miss the richness of our language, and actually their ability to think in complex ways is affected. If you read a sentence each of books like this, you hear the difference.

2. Exposure to experience. If you read Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods, you are familiar with the theory that children today have much less real contact with the natural world, and it is affecting them. Even in my own experience, I got to poke in creeks and catch crawdads, hike in woods by myself, eat warm tomatos and corn right out of the garden, and ride my bike all day and stop by the side of the road to eat the lunch I packed. My kids won't have those experiences, and even a school trip to Sunnydale Farm so the kids can line up and pet a cow won't make up for not having the experience of being alone and self-directed in a natural environment. This book doesn't, of course, replace a first hand experience, but I believe can give children some sense of an important experience in our cultural history that most children will not get any other way.

Wonderful story and a pleasure to read over and over. Makes me teary every time, very touching. Rhythm of the story seems to help my son go to sleep.

Patricia MacLachlan creates a heart warming masterpiece through a simple country family's connection with each other and their land. All the Places to Love begins with Eli's birth and his first view of the countryside his family calls home. Eli would soon grow to love this countryside through his experiences with his mother, father, and grandparents. They each have a place on the farm, which holds a special place in their heart. Mama loves the hill where she can see the sun rise on one side and set on the other. Papa love the fields and working in them. Grandma shares her love for the river with Eli as they sail notes down stream to one another. The barn grows special to Eli's heart after sharing experiences with Grandpa working in a place that brings joy to his life. Eli creates his personal getaway where the spring rains come and turn the meadows into marsh. The paintings by Mike Wimmer combined with the words by MacLachlan capture the passion filled anticipation of Eli as he awaits the birth of his baby sister. Eli is eager to show Sylvie "all the places to love."

As I explored this peak into the life of Beatrix Potter, I cried softly because it has been brought together so beautifully. There are surprises as I turned each page that made me smile. She was such a pioneer on so many levels at a time when women "had their place". Her inquisitive mind & creative skills are a gift to all of us. I have dusted off my pencils, pens & sketch book due to the inspiration I feel. I am very proud to have this Journal in my library, and have bought more copies for family & friends so they can share with theirs. Thank You!

This work of fiction looks, feels and reads like a real journal, full of love, tender memories, and feels to me like it captured some tiny sense of what it must have been like to be Miss Potter. I search for words to express how highly I recommend this book; every one in my family that has enjoyed it felt a sense of excitement and wonder and awe. And the photos are so endearing!

Entralling book at an incredibly low price, fully worth much more! A beautiful and wondrous work of art and whimsy, a joy for all ages! I will be reading and admiring this over and over again. This book is far too lovely to be shelved into a bookcase- do display it and enjoy the sweet memories that viewing it often will invoke! I thank the publishers for an inspired, dedicated, dear, devoted, honorable bestowment to the legacy of Beatrix Potter.

The biggest question I have about this book is how in the world can it be put on the market for only $13.59? The book is a complete delight. As some of the other reviews have mentioned; it has reproductions of letters, notes, and other items that give inside glimpses into the life and times of Beatrix Potter. There is something on almost every page to surprise and delight the reader.

This book can be enjoyed by both adults and children; it does need to be handled carefully as the reproductions of the notes and letters deserve special care.

Hidden inside the back cover is a reproduction of Beatriz Potter's privately printed edition of 250 copies of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"; what a delightful finish to a tour of the life of a remarkable woman.

This is a wonderful addition to any Beatrix Potter collection and an amazing value as well!

'Beatrix Potter: A Journal" is a beautifully bound keepsake that Beatirx Potter fans will cherish for years to come. It is presented in the form of a journal or rather an album, and basically contains journal entries dating back to when Beatrix was 16 years old and had begun discovering wonderful things that helped her evolve into the creative writer and creator of Peter Rabbit and friends.

The journal is beautifully put together - there are old family pictures, reproductions of Beatrix's original sketches and drawings, personal documents [e.g. Beatrix's old report card] - what a delight to peruse these treasures. The journal entries themselves make for absorbing reading - though they are in cursive form and younger reders may need help with deciphering what is written. There are reproductions of letters to family and friends,delightful illustrations throughout the journal. Of interest is information as to how certain characters in The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Friends was inspired by real-life people, such as the character of Farmer McGregor.

There are many lift-the-flap features in this journal that makes it even more of a treat - there's an envelope containing a reproduction of the letter which contains the story of Peter Rabbit complete with illustrations, a map of the beautiful Lake District, a paper version of the game of Peter Rabbit, and the prize jewel in this journal - right at the end of the journal, embedded into it, is a little book "The Tale of Peter Rabbit"! One would not know it, for it is concealed so well - and indeed a delight to peruse.

I can't recommend this highly enough. I am a life-long fan of Beatrix Potter and my three-year old daughter is following in my footsteps. It is such a treat to be able to share this book with her!

This is the final volume in the "Ages of Middle-Earth" series and it was actually the first written. Although published in two volumes The Book Of Lost Tales was originally written as one. Tolkien expands in this second volume the stories of Middle-Earth as they unfold during the first four ages. For years Tolkien had been a scholar of mythology and he used his studies to transform ancient Earth mythology into the fantasy we know today. So if you love fantasy, whether you are a Tolkien reader or not, you will love this remarkable first attempt at reshaping modern fantasy.

The Book of Lost Tales 2 is a fantastic continuation to the first, taking place right where it left off this book goes in deeper than the first. The Book of Lost Tales includes 6 tales that where apart of the first but explains it with greater detail. This book was edited by Christopher Tolkien, the author's(J.R.R. Tolkien) son. All of the six stories include many notes that help you with the story, and 4 of them include a commentary that Christopher Tolkien wrote. I found the commentary and notes to be very helpful and enjoyable although he refers a lot to The Simarillion so one who has not read that might not understand some of it, and infact the stories that are in The Book of Lost Tales 2 are briefly in The Simarillion, which is also a very wonderful book. These books can be at sometimes a little difficult to read given the ammount of detail and information that they give you, sometimes it is hard to organize all of it but as you read on more things fall into place.

I highly recommend this book, although suggest reading The Simarllion before hand, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world is quite enjoyable and his writings are full of detail. I also found the appendix and index of words quite useful and very nice to have, it tells you where all the names come from and have referances to where you can find them in this book and others. If you have read Lord of The Rings then you will find referances that are from this book and also The Simarillion that you did not get before.

Overall I thought this book was very enjoyable, although some what tedious at some points, and I recommend it to all fantasy and Lord of The Ring fans.

If you like the silmarillion and book of lost tales one, than you cannot wait another day to get this. If you are like me and REALLY LIKE this whole middle earth thing with the trees, music of the ainur. etc, then you absolutely have to read this.

The first lost tales was the first half of the silmarillion, and of course part 2 of lost tales is the rest of the silm. Though a lot of these works are unfinished(certainly the whole tale telling itself with eriol and gilfanon?, yet some seem very finished like the fall of gondolin.

Some people don't think peter jackson did not do a good job with the lord, yet they do admit it was still a pretty good movie. I did not find return of the king NEAR as good as the other 2 movies, but I think that Pete was the best choice as director.

Now the point that I wanna make is that with all of the material from the book of lost tales part 1 AND 2, the silmarillion, unfinished tales, and all the annals I think Peter Jackson could make another epic movie doing 1 of 3 things, or something that I'm not thinking of. It doesn't matter how these are made, I just wanna see them on screen.

1. Make a two-part movie 6-7 hours in total.
2. Make a 3 1/2 hour or 4 hour movie
3. Pick a certain tale like turin or luthien

Any of these things that I have suggested are acceptable to me, but I would be open to any way possiblre to put this on screen.

I honestly feel that with the very strong emotions in these books it could be better than the lord of the rings movies.

`if he could indeed destroy with his cunning the happiness and glory of the Gods and Elves...'

When the hateful god Melko marred the world, the Valar hid within the blessed land of Valinor, abandoning the Elves and Men of Middle Earth to slavery under his terrible rule. This was the time of great heroes who challenged Melko's impossible might. Beren and Lúthien entered Melko's hall to pluck his most prized possession from his crown. Cursed Túrin became a feared enemy of all evil creatures. Tuor fought to save a beleaguered realm. The mighty kingdoms of Gondolin - ruled by King Turgon - and Menegroth - ruled by King Thingol - long provided refuge for the few free people. Finally Eärendel risked all to beseech the Valar for aid. These heroes made terrible sacrifices to rid the world of the greatest evil it has ever known. Ashamedly, as magic faded and the Elves fled from the world, Men forgot these great deeds.

Ages later, the English mariner Eriol sailed to Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle, where Elves welcomed him as guest. In grand oral tradition, they recounted to Eriol the tales that should never have been lost.

Anybody who enjoyed The Book of Lost Tales Part 1, which should be read first, will love Part 2. It is also helps to first read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and, most importantly, The Silmarillion.

Christopher Tolkien continues to expertly assemble and present his father's works. His precise commentaries are essential to understanding J.R.R. Tolkien's mythos.

Some of the stories in Lost Tales are much more detailed than their final versions in the Silmarillion. Lost Tales is a treasure trove of rejected content that really fleshes out the myths.

The Book of Lost Tales Part 2 has six sections.

`The Tale of Tinúviel', one of Tolkien's most popular stories, tells of the triumphant love between Beren and Lúthien. This version is shockingly different than that found in The Silmarillion, and it contains much more dialogue and plot.

`Turambar and the Foalókë' is the stirring tragedy of Túrin son of Úrin (or Húrin). Cursed as a child, Túrin rages against fate with heroic intensity. This account is wonderfully detailed.

`The Fall of Gondolin' recounts the final days of King Turgon's fair city. Ulmo (the only Valar to intervene in Middle Earth during this period) sends brave Tuor upon a divine quest to bring counsel to the doomed realm. This Lost Tales version is staggeringly well detailed. The final battle for the city (summarized in a few sentences in The Silmarilllion) here receives tremendous attention. This action-heavy scene is definitely a highlight of the book.

In `The Nauglafring', Elves and Dwarves battle over cursed gold. This early-abandoned tale flatly contradicts much of Tolkien's other work.

`The Tale of Eärendel' tells of the legendary mariner who now sails the firmament above Earth as a radiant star, bringing hope to men. J.R.R. Tolkien never wrote this story, so this section consists of outlines, poems, and heavy commentary.

`The History of Eriol or Ælfwine' delves into Eriol's life. It clearly identifies Middle Earth as our Earth; for instance, the origins of England and Ireland are spelled out and Rome is presented as an Elvish enemy. Although enlightening, this thoroughly explained setting lacks the mysterious grandeur of LoTR's Middle Earth. This tale was never finished, and Christopher Tolkien shows superhuman diligence in piecing together jumbled outlines and narrative fragments. It is densely commented and makes a slow, though worthy, read.

The Book of Lost Tales shows the devotion J.R.R. Tolkien had for his craft. It is a perfect choice for any Silmarillion fan.

-Zach Zelmar

`The Book of Lost Tales, Part One and Part Two' by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by son, Christopher Tolkien, is, according to the editor's Foreword, some of the very earliest works written by Tolkien on the mythology of Middle Earth. Many, it is stated, were drafted in the 1920s, nearly ten years before the start of `The Hobbit'.

This is an important fact, as it means that they were not written to `fill in' details of references made in either `The Hobbit' or `The Lord of the Rings' (LOTR). It means that both of these published novels were narratives of a preexisting world of Middle Earth with a history stretching back thousands of years, to the very creation of the world. This supports the sense of historical depth one has when you read both novels. Early in the Foreword, editor Tolkien addresses this very aspect and the danger that the great depth of history felt in the novels may not transfer to documents that lay out that history. I personally do not sense that danger when I read these works. The intellectual effort required to understand the text and tie it together with all the Tolkienania that has gone before is more than enough to keep me busy. This is the basis of my title for this review, `Fantasy for Grown-ups'.

My experience is that neither `The Hobbit' nor `LOTR' books or movies had a strong appeal to the same audience as the literal and virtual comic book works such as Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Star Wars, Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), or even Indiana Jones. The world in which Middle Earth is set is much more subtly different from our world or the world of `Long ago, and far, far, away...' Even in `The Hobbit' one gets hints that the world of Middle Earth is not our comfortable sphereical planet with a different geography but the same physics, chemistry, and biology. One gets the sense that while the great `Gandalf the Gray' may be called a `wizard', he is not a wizard in the same sense as Merlin or a wizard of `Dungeons and Dragons'.

The most important difference between Middle Earth and our world is that this continent is in the center of a great disk surrounded by seas across which are the undying lands including the Elven island of Eressea and Valinor. The next major difference is that there are beings, primarily elves, which walk the earth and which are literally immortal. That is, they cannot die by natural causes. They can, however, be killed in battle, as seen in `The Two Towers' movie with the death of the elven archer allies helping to defend the Hornburg with Aragorn, Theoden, and the Rohrrim. It is also interesting to see that Gandalf possesses an immortality of an entirely different order, as he survives the great battle with the Balrog in the mines of Moria, a battle that would have killed any ordinary immortal elf.

It would have been interesting to see Tolkien deal with immortality in the same way that John Boorman did in his script for the movie `Zardoz', an easily underestimated movie. (Oddly enough, Gandalf is most like the characterization of Merlin in Boorman's movie, `Excalibur').

Another big difference is that the physics of this world is different from our world. Light, for example, simply does not behave like our notions of light. It is much more like a liquid that can be captured in the Silmarils or in the vial give by Galadrial to Frodo in Lorien. This is part of the reason neither Gandalf nor any other character, even Sauron, seems to use much `magic'. What may appear to us as magic is simply bending the different laws of physics to the will of the magician, as Sauron does in creating the One Ring.

These two books are yet another step removed from the `popular fiction' of `LOTR'. `The Silmarillion' was one step removed in being much more like Hesiod's mythology than Homer's epics. The `Unfinished Tales' were another step removed in that they were close to being stories with extensive editorial annotations. These two volumes, which are really one work in two books are reconstructions of even cruder material. Reading them may be about as much fun as reading Frazier's `The Golden Bough'.

Now, reading `The Golden Bough' can be fun for a particularly intellectual interest, but it takes just a bit extra to gain the same pleasure from these works, as they are not stories from a historical mythology which may explain genuine primitive thought and beliefs. They are make believe! They just happen to be of a type of make believe which is more different than just about any other fiction you can imagine.

The greatest insight I get from these myths on the early history of Middle Earth is on the origins of Tom Bombadil and the Ents. While neither is mentioned, there are ample hints that both are beings who sprung up from the bones of Middle Earth itself, independent of any efforts by the Valar. This explains the total difference between Bombadil and every other character in `LOTR' aside from Treebeard and the Ents. The Elves, the Wizards, Sauron, dragons, and probably dwarves, hobbits, and men all arose out of immigrants from `The Undying Lands' or were created by the Valar.

I find the single most interesting character in these pre `LOTR' stories to be the Noldor (elven) leader Feanor. He seems to have the air of Prometheus about him in that he defies the gods (the Valar) without being an evil force like Melkor / Morgoth or Sauron. When Feanor is not on the stage, my interest drops several notches.

These are the first two volumes of the twelve volume `The History of Middle Earth'. While several of the volumes seem independent, I would not venture to read any of them without having read `The Silmarillion'. They will make very little sense without this background in hand.

Treva Langston is a lot like me. No, I've never been a high-powered lawyer, owned a large ritzy home, purchased designer clothes or counted myself as one of the upper-middle class. No, I'm not a deeply coloured African American woman who struggles with deeply rooted issues concerning her self-worth. But still, I see parts of myself in Treva. Like Treva I experience times when I don't want to cook, don't want to clean, and focus more on my own interests than upon loving my husband and children, though I do all of these things daily. So despite our many differences I feel that Treva - and through her the author whose imagination she sprung from - are my bosom sisters in Christ.

Debut novelist Kimberly Cash Tate took me by surprise with her first entry into the Christian fiction market, Heavenly Places. Tate captured my heart with her richly executed characters and frank, introspective prose. The women she has created are beautiful, flawed, imperfect women of faith who depend upon God to carry them through and heal their wounds. When six of these ladies come together for a study of Ephesians, that's just what He does - shows up and takes control of the steering in each life. While each woman is impacted by God's love and guidance, the tale revolves around Treva who, once revolving only around herself, is experiencing a shift in orbit. God is about to become the center of her universe.

Throughout their time together in God's word and by lifting each other before the throne of grace, each woman experiences God at work in her life. There is no doubt - these women can pray! One of my favourite aspects of the book is the impassioned, authentic prayer that pours from the hearts of these women. After reading this title, women will be longing to find a vibrant, tightly knit women's Bible study modeled after the inspiring example presented. I'd be ready to sign up today!

The only low-point worth mentioning are the cathartic scenes of emotional healing that occur at each Bible study. While moving, the manner in which the women fly to each other in tears time and time again does become somewhat repetitive by the book's end. I would have appreciated a greater diversity of reactions and description, but this repetition does little to detract from the novel's merits.

Healing past wounds, reconciling family members, bringing people to Jesus and a good dose of personal conviction - God is all over this book. As He takes these situations in hand, readers experience joy, heartache, sorrow, regret, cozy familial love, freedom and the ecstasy of being in God's will. To think, Tate accomplished all this in the hours before her children rose in the morning and entered their busy homeschooling schedule. I'm impressed - Heavenly Places is the best women's fiction I've read this year. I highly recommend it. Kimberly Cash Tate is an author to watch. I hope she puts pen to paper time and time again, crafting more stories for God's glory.

"Heavenly Places" by Kimberly Cash Tate left me with mixed feelings. The cover art didn't grip me. If I saw it on a shelf, I probably wouldn't pick it up. Then, I was really put off by the genre being listed as "African American". What does that mean? I did enjoy revisiting my east coast roots, and I love the reading guide full of discussion questions at the end of the novel for use by book groups. But I can't say that I would recommend this novel.

Have you ever tried to decide whether you liked a book or hated it? This is a book about an African-American wife of a college professor and mother of three daughters and how she moves from self-hate to seeing herself as God does. Most of this change comes through a Bible Study she is doing with a group of African-American, largely middle to upper middle class stay at home moms. They are studying Ephesians and much of the book is their discussion of the book and quotes from the study guide they are using. That puts the book in the category of a sermon wrapped in a story which generally isn't my cup of tea, but I will say this was better done than most. I really felt for the main character and though, on the suface, this African-American wealthy attorney from a dysfunctional family and I would seem to have little in common, I was able to find some of myself in her on several occassions.

One thing I didn't like about the book was the theology espoused. At one point, the Bible study group is exchanging salvation stories and one of them says that she has always been a part of the church and God has always been a part of her life. The others are quick to point out that she has to have had a salvation moment where she has prayed the sinners prayer and accepted Jesus. She does so then and there--but why was she at the Bible study to being with--or attending church as an adult--if she didn't love God and want Him in her life? There were other parts of the book too where it was clear that this Catholic was reading about someone else's religion.

Another thing that annoyed me was that everthing worked out too well. The message was very much the "trust God and do His will and you will be happy here on earth". That was quite a contrast to what I heard at mass Sunday: "Pick up your cross and follow me". ...less

Treva Langston had the perfect life. That is until she loses her job and her husband informs her that they are moving. And unfortunately for Treva, the move is to a neighborhood that doesn't quite meet her bourgeois standards.

Feeling that her life really has no purpose now, Treva wallows in a vat of self-pity and it seems as if nothing will snap her out of her funk. Hoping to accomplish what seems like an insurmountable task, Treva's sister Jillian invites her to join her women's Bible study group. Even though she doesn't want to, Treva reluctantly joins in. As the group continues to meet and grow spiritually, so does Treva, preparing her to face some harsh truths that will test the limits of her faith.

I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of books during my lifetime. But never has a book, outside of the Bible, affected me as much as Heavenly Places did. I hated Treva's character at first, and almost gave up on reading this book. But I was convicted within my spirit to keep reading, and I am so glad I did. The message in this book is so powerful that I was moved to tears many times and compelled me to both reassess my priorities in life and immerse myself deeper into God's Word.

This novel, which quickly became one of top five all time favorite reads, is a must read for everyone. Whether your life is in shambles or it is going good and you have no complaints, there is a message, a vital message that you can take away from it.

Renee Williams, All the Buzz

Heavenly Places by Kimberly Cash Tate is a powerful novel of the lies that we can believe about howselves and how that separates us from God. Treva Langston looks like she has it all from the outside. Career as a high-priced attorney, married to a handsome college professor, Hezekiah, three beautiful daughters named Faith, Joy, and Hope. But when her husband gets a job near Washington DC, it means giving up the job she loves and returning to the place where she grew up. Treva's entire life and self-esteem is shaken when after moving to DC, she can't find a job and ends up home every day. Her sister, Jillian, invites her to participate in a Bible study with some other women, and while she initially fights it with every fiber of her stubborn being, she keeps attending class after class until the truth of God's love starts to sink into her soul. Treva's mother, Patsy, does all she can to shatter Treva's newfound sense of balance by reminding her that because of her dark skin, she is not beautiful, and therefore her only value is in having a career. Tate shines in her debut novel in portraying a woman who insists on living her life on her terms and ends up having to face God on His. Treva is a delicate character, so wrapped up in her own problems and hurt that she doesn't notice anyone else's pain, but Tate makes her sympathetic and entirely likeable. Her growth throughout the book is visible, though never forced. Much of the book focuses on a Bible study of the book of Ephesians, and Tate teaches an amazing class about the gifts that God has given us in His love, and the promises He's made. As Treva learns about God's love, the reader can't help but do the same. Inspiring, moving, and fascinating, it's a terrific first novel!

Wonderful book about Manyara and Nyasha, daughters of an African King. This books shows that beauty comes from within. Manyara is a selfish sister and wants nothing more than to be queen and she will stop at nothing to be it. Nyasha is kind and loving and only wants to be happy. She sees the beauty in nature and people. A king from the neighboring town is searching for a wife and immediately Manyara wants to be queen. Manyara gets up early and sneaks to the village of the King but she is met by a little boy who wants food, and a elderly woman whom she is told to be kind too. She doesnt give the boy food and is verbally mean to the old woman. Nyasha goes through the forest and finds the same people but this time she gives food to the little boy. She is met by a woman who points the way to the city and she is kind to her and gives her sunflower seeds. As they approach the city, Manyara runs out and crying saying that she saw a snake with 5 heads and was telling her how rotten of a person she is. Nyasha is brave and walks in only to a find a simple snake for whom she was friends with. He tells her that he is the king and the elderly woman and little boy in the forest. He then asks her to be his queen because she is the most beautiful and kindhearted of them all.

This is a sweet folktale, simple and straightforward where good is rewarded and evil is punished, though it does not come off as preachy. The African culture is very strong, and that what makes the book so appealing. The illustrations are incredible and detailed with plenty to absorb. The writing is somewhat complex, making this suitable for older children, though it would be perfect for a read-aloud.

Can you imagine my surprise when I encountered this book on Amazon.com!

I am 18 years old and I read "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters" in elementary school and I was enamored with the story then! And I still am. This "African Cinderella" is sure to resonate with young girls and make them curious about Africa.

It is the story of an African King who has two beautiful daughters, only one of them, Manyara, is mean, nasty, and "haughty" (this book is where I learned that word!) while Nyasha is sweet, compassionate and kind. When their father learns that a ruler of another kingdom is to take a wife, he decides that both of his beautiful daughters should go. However, Manyara arrogantly leaves alone to get there before her sister, ever so certain that she will be chosen.

On the way both her and her sister encounter a series of tasks and through these, their true characters are tested.

Other than a great story, the illustration is absolutely beautiful! They are artwork unto themselves. Love this book! I can't wait to purchase this for the little girls in my life! Or, i just may buy it to reminisce!

The illustrations are breathtaking. The story emphasizes the true ugliness of getting to the top no matter what, while at the same time showing the beauty of compassion, empathy, and taking the time to make true connections with others and embracing their essence. These are values that we must instill within our children. I read this story to my own beautiful daughters over and over and it opens the door for deep discussions about the nature of their special bond as sisters and the need to not face one another as competitors, but as lifetime companions and support for one another.

This story is based on an African tale that is similar in nature to Cinderella. In this story a man named Mufaro had two beautiful daughters, one named Manyara, and one named Nyasha. Manyara is rude to Nyasha, who just calmly bears it. When a call comes saying the Great King wants a wife, Mufaro plans to take his daughters to the palace the next day. Manyara decides to leave in the night to make she is chosen to be Queen. During the journey she is rude to a number of people, who turn out to be the King himself, shape-shifted into those forms as well as the form of a garden snake well-known to Nyasha. When Nyasha passes the next day, she is kind where her sister was rude. Needless to say the King picks Nyasha, and they live happily.

The story is told well, and the language used is wonderful, though not quite as wonderful as the illustrations. They almost look more life-like than photographs. The way lighting is used is amazing, and they are just stunning pictures. Everything about this book is wonderful, with nothing to detract from it.

Loggie-log-log-log

My 8 year old thought it was old and boring but he did seem interested in a few parts of the story. Probably a little outdated for kids these days but I loved it. It was the kind of story I would read when I was little, but I am going on 50.

This has to be one of my favorites and no child should be without it. The text is lively and easy to read and reads like people really talk, which gives the story a lot of warmth. The illustrations are beautifully drawn with lots of detail and humor and also look true to life, from the pained expression on the dad's face as he's rowing the boat, to sister Jane peeking from the top of the stairs or chasing the cat under the bench in Mr. Condon's store. Jane is depicted just as most children her age really are - a real livewire who is both curious and active, climbing and getting into things - she reminds me of my 16 month old daughter! And Sal is accurately portrayed as a typical preschooler - asking detailed questions about everything and talking up a storm.

You won't be disappointed. This classic is a must for any preschooler.

This book is a beautiful picture book, and I still enjoy looking at it. The pictures are gorgeous. And this isn't a cheesy book. It's a wonderful story for children, and I highly recommend it! Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

This is a very long, very wordy book. It's not suitable for last minute bedtimes, nor for toddlers.

It's very suitable for kids in the older end of the 4-8 range, or littler kids with a good attention span, though.

Not much happens in the story - girl loses a tooth, gets her wish of ice cream, has clam chowder for lunch - which is just the way real life works. It's so well-written that you don't even *notice* that the story moves slowly, you might as well be talking about your own life.

I really sound like I'm criticizing, but I'm not. All the points I'm mentioning actually make it a good book. Really :) Definitely don't pass this classic book by.

To a child, every morning is a new start with infinite possibilities; at least that's how it should be. In this classic 1953 book Robert McCloskey brings a child's simple world to life. McCloskey, better known for his Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, gives us another look at little Sal. The story is timeless and his line drawings bring the children to life.

The simple coastal lifestyle of more than half a century ago may be hard to find today, in part because of the high local tax valuation of shore and island properties. Still, if you were to take a child to the rocky coast of Maine this summer, she could be little Sal in the clam flats. One Morning in Maine (Picture Puffin) is full of that magical atmosphere where the land and ocean meet. We all want that magic!

McCloskey's Caldecott-honored book tells a simple story. Young Sal wakes up on a sunny morning in Maine with an adventure in store. She and her little sister are going with their father in the boat to Buck's Harbor to dig clams. There are idyllic family scenes, lessons from their father about the world around them, ice cream cones at the store, and the disappointment of a loose tooth lost in the clam flats.

Simple stuff? It certainly is, and just the sort of simple stuff children thrive on. Sal's morning may be long ago and far away, but the curiosity and wonder of a child's new day will be with us forever.

Linda Bulger, 2008