Schools Books

A student of mine brought this to class to share. After reading it aloud to my K/1 class, I ordered one for the classroom and one for my aide, who fell in love with the story. A winner, for sure!

This is a great children's book that, I think, helps children develop empathy for other animals. Very sweet book.

Judy Schachner in her pre-Skippyjon Jones days, created a memorable, touching, loving picture of an old, old cat that gains new purpose when he's introduced to a spunky new Siamese kitten. I fell in love with the book when I borrowed it from my local library and had to get a copy of my own. When I read this to the kids at the school where I work, they fell in love with Simon as well. Schachner has deep insight into cats and kittens and it comes through beautifully in this must read book.

Who'd a thunk the author of Skippy John Jones (psycho kitty) would also be a softy. I truly love this story since we have an ancient cat and a rambunctious kitten ourselves.

The Grannyman, by Judith Byron Schachner is one of the better children's cat books out there. I was absolutely delighted and I must admit a bit surprised when I read this one. Schachner is the author of the Skippyjon Jones books, which are on my favorites list and I am not sure how she was able to transition from cat stories about a little kitten who is a complete mess, to one about a lovely old cat like Grannyman. First, I must admit to being able to relate to both the characters of Skippyjon and to Grannyman. When I was a kid, I could well have been a prototype for Skippyjon and now that I am old, I fit the profile of Grannyman pretty well.

Anyway, this is the story of a very old Siamese cat by the name of Simon. He is blind, deaf and his bones ache and creak. Simon has lived a long life with a very loving family and now spends most of his time in his calico chair looking out into space and dreaming of his life since he was a kitten. The book reviews this old cat's life from the time he was a kitten to the resent. Delightful pictures and wonderful text tell his story. Then, feeling absolutely useless in his dotage, one Tuesday night, Simon sticks his bony old legs in the air and breaths his last....or so he thinks!

Suddenly, plunk, his loving human family drop a new kitten right on Simon's belly. Simon suddenly has a new life. This new little member of the family becomes Simon's charge and Simon his teacher. This is absolutely wonderful.

While this is the story of an old cat, living in a loving home, it is actually the story of all of us, or how all of us should be anyway, as we grow older. What an excellent way to teach children of the aging process in a very gentle and happy way. It is also an excellent way to teach those of us well in to our dotage that life is not over until it is over.

Splendid and lively art work is found in this work and while not as wild as that found in Skippyjon books, it is quite appropriate for this particular story. The text is very well done. I, like another reviewer was hesitant at first about reading this one as I felt it was going to have a sad ending and I avoid books like that at all cost. I was very well pleased and I need not have feared. This work is a must for cat lovers of all ages in particular, animal lovers in general, and all good hearted people. Most importantly though, the kids all seem to love it. I should also not that this author wrote I know n Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie which is a wonderful work also.

For this book review I read Little Town on the Prarie by:Laura Ingles Wilder. This book is good reading for preteen girls. The story is historical and is about living in the pioneer days.

In this book Laura and her family work hard to send her older sister to Collage and keep her there untill she finishes. Laura and her little sister Grace have to go to school when they move to town for the winter. Laura is very exited about going to school because she wants to get her teachers certifacit when she is sixteen. To find out what else happens you will have to read the book.

This book was fun to read and kept my intrest. It was a little confusing at timeskeeping up with who was talking. It was very interesting also to learn about how they lived back then. Over all it was a good book and I would consider reading it again.

It's wonderful to see how my children love listening to these books over and over, now that we've been collecting the CDs. The little details really stick in their heads, and have been surprisingly useful tidbits of information on several occasions, as they hear or read other things that relate!

When I first bought the CDs, I was unsure about Cherry Jones' accent, but it just brings a nice, down-home aspect to the reading. Of course, the readings are unabridged - the only way to go, I think!

My favorite part of the CDs, though, is hearing the songs, often accompanied by a fiddle. As a child, I remember skipping over the songs as I encountered them in the text, especially those I didn't know, and it has really added to the experience of the books to hear an actual tune for them. Often, the songs reflect the mood of the moment exceptionally well. Cherry Jones sings them out (usually as Pa!) in her low alto voice, and you do really have to hear a few of them to get used to it, but we love them.

Laura Ingalls thought that being thirteen was difficult, but now she is on the cusp of her fifteenth year, and things around her are changing like crazy. After a difficult winter full of one blizzard after another, Laura is happy to be back on the claim shanty with her family, away from the hustle and bustle of town. But she knows that her family will most certainly head back to De Smet to live in the shop before winter comes again, to protect them from the harsh weather that may lie ahead. Weather aside, however, Laura can't believe how many new things are arising. Especially the most important one of all - changes for Mary.

Laura couldn't be happier to be back in school again. After so many months of studying on her own, she is thrilled to be back in the classroom with her old friends Mary and Minnie, and Ida. But there's someone new in the classroom. A person from Laura's past who makes Laura shake with anger - Nellie Oleson. Laura, however, is determined to ignore the nasty Nellie and study as hard as she possibly can in order to gain her teaching certificate, and help to send Mary to college. But even without her being a part of the workforce, Mary is able to go off to college, and Laura couldn't be happier - or more devastated. But seeing how much Mary loves college, Laura resolves to study even harder, and begin earning the money to assist in keeping her there. Of course, Laura never imagined that things could possibly stand in her way. Such as the selfish new schoolteacher who thrives on taunting and humiliating both Laura and Carrie in front of the other students; and working as a seamstress in town. But the most shocking of all, is Almanzo Wilder's sudden interest in young Laura. Almanzo is a handsome fellow, whose Morgan horses are the talk of the town, and now Almanzo seems to have taken a fancy to Laura - something that leaves her confused and excited at the same time. But no matter what, she must remember to continue her studies, or else Mary may have to return home before her education is complete.

It seems strange to bear witness as someone ages, but that is exactly what readers have had the opportunity to do as Laura Ingalls grows in age, height, and maturity. The love she holds for her family is so refreshing and charming, and truly keeps the reader's interest peaked; while the constant maturity Laura displays in each and every one of her decisions is just unbelievable. Laura has completely grown up before our eyes, and each year she just becomes more and more lovable. The inclusion of facts regarding the changes taking place during this era are interesting, and present a fun learning experience for readers; while the sudden budding romances springing up around the young people of De Smet indicates just how much older these characters have become. Almanzo Wilder has grown on me over the past few books, and I love reading the scenes where he is present; and Nellie Oleson, as nasty as she is, will always remain a fun character whom you absolutely love to hate, but hate to love. This series just gets better and better!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I read this book to my two sons, 7, 9 and my husband, during long drives. We all loved it. Even though the main character is a girl, my boys were interested the entire time and identified with Laura. The descriptions are great and the characters are well-drawn. We're now reading These Happy Golden Years and my family is loving that, too. I recommend this book for a family to read together.

This is a charming, entertaining, and educational story about what life was like among homesteaders in the Dakota territories in the 1880s. I mostly agree with the other positive reviews here. But there is a teaching moment in this book that should not be overlooked. The parents in this book are paragons of virtue, and their behavior matches the highest standards - standards of 1880, not 2006. There is a short scene during one of the "literaries" where several men perform in blackface. Although it occurs with innocent intent, modern readers might find it in questionable taste if they don't allow for the historical context.

If they're smart, parents and teachers will embrace this as an opportunity to open a discussion with children about changing standards, and the work it took to improve those standards.

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 bought this book based on other reviews and the plot seemed interesting enough. I LOVED this book and could not put it down. The characters are lively, the dialogue very fun to read, and the story line was original. I challenge anyone to read this book and not fall in love with the President's family. They're witty, likable, yet they have their problems like any normal family. A wonderful read. You'll definitely want to read the 2 sequels after this one. I know I do! Good luck finding them though. They're out of print and I'm still searching.

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.

"Look in your heart. What's there?"
"What's there is trying to keep my family together. Trying to heal the rift in my family. It seems like all my life, I've been trying to make sense of it, to piece it all together."
"Like the quilt?"
"Yes, like the quilt."

Hannah Chelmsford has to hold her family together. That is why she has never been able leave her father's house, to find a separate life for herself. She has become aware of the fact that her family is painfully broken, that there is an undercurrent of secrets and anger in her house, and that she, who has been the one to take care of her brothers and sisters since her mother's death, has to hold all the pieces of her family together, like the many pieces of a quilt.

Set in the post revolutionary war era, A Stitch in Time is very opulent story, abundant with human feelings. Hannah's family has long struggled under a heavy secret, a secret that destroyed her parents marriage and even now seems to be tearing apart her family. Hannah and her two sisters, Abby and Thankful, are making a quilt. At first, only pieces for family are going to be put into it, but they decide to add people who have meant something in their life, those whom they trust. When events tear the sisters far apart, their parts of the quilt link them together, and Hannah hopes that some day the quilt will bring them together again.

I love how Ann Rinaldi weaves so much into the story, which I couldn't put down until I had turned the last page. Nathan Chelmsford, Hannah's father, is distant, cold, indifferent, overbearing. He refuses to allow Hannah and Abby marry the men they wish. He is cold and indifferent to Lawrence, because he wishes to paint rather than become a merchant. He is cruel and hardhearted to poor Cabot, whom he seems to hate beyond all things. To Thankful, the only child to inherit his one blue and one green eye, he places all his fatherly love, seeing her as his only perfect child.

Abby elopes with a young Southerner. Lawrence, Hannah's older brother, goes west with their father and Thankful, where he hopes to paint the Indians. Guilt and anxiety plague Hannah, who fears for Thankful's safety. But what could she do, when spiteful and vindictive Thankful threatened Abby's happiness if she was not allowed to go west with her father?

Louis, a young man Hannah was once engaged to, shows up at her door, asking her to take in a half-Indian baby, Louis' child, whose mother was killed by Kentuckians during a raid on a Shawnee village. Can Hannah take the baby for Louis, when there will be danger both to her and the baby in Salem? Many of the townspeople have loved ones in the west, loved ones who are in constant peril from the Shawnee Indians . . . What if they take out their anger and fear on the baby?

And Richard Lander. Hannah's good friend since childhood. Already, he has asked her to marry her twice, once when she was four and he was ten. She has such confused feelings for him, especially when rumors spread about the mysterious destination of his ship, which only his investors, his crew, and he himself know. Can she learn to trust him, and to place her heart in his hands?

This is the first book by Ann Rinaldi that I have read, but I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading the two other books in the Quilt Trilogy, Broken Days and The Blue Door. I think anyone who enjoys historical fiction would love this story, which gives a very accurate depiction of the post revolutionary war era in Salem, Massachusetts, and the kind of life the townspeople would live during that time. This is definitely a book better suited to teenagers than younger readers, because it deals with some mature and serious subjects.

The story of a rich New England family in the post revolutionary war era. It centers around three sisters who are beginning a quilt together. Only people who have touched their lives will contribute a piece of fabric to the quilt. The sisters seperate but you realize the families will be reunited in books later in the series. This novel seemed more contrived than most of Rinaldi's novels but still thrilling. Worth a read but if you haven't yet become a Rinaldi fan I would recommend Cast Two Shadows or A Break with Charity first.

I really enjoyed reading the book, A Stitch in Time. I would mostly recommend it to somone who enjoys historical fiction, like me, but the themes of trust, family, and romance can be enjoyed by all. Teenagers ages 12-16 would especially like it because they could see what life for someone their age would be like in the late 1700's. The plot has many twists and turns and has a surprise ending. This book has two sequals that are also worth reading!

I LOVED this book as it says in the title its the perfect book. I first found it when my school librarian reccommended it for a trip i was taking at first i was skeptical i mean come on "The Quilt Trilogies" where do u get a name like that? when i picked it up BOY did i feel stupid! I couldnt put it down and was really really upset when i finished it (i wanted more about Hannah and Richard!:( ) i had to wait 2 days to go to the library to get broken days i was disappointed with it it wasnt nearly as good as A stitch in time to me at least id reccommend A Stitch in Time to any one who can read not just historical fiction readers btw from how she describes him - if he didnt have long hair Richard sounds kinda hott!!!

This book was great! WOW! To tell you the truth, it wasn't one of the best Ann Rinaldi books I've ever read, but hey, it passes. Fifteen year-old Hannah Chelmsford has a mixed up life: a seperated family we could call it. Her father is a mean old man who won't allow either Hannah or Abby(his oldest daughters) to marry who they wish, he won't let his son Lawrence marry or paint, and his youngest son he hates beyond all things. Thankful is his favorite, and the only "perfect" Chelmsford in her father's eyes. Well, Hannah's mother is dead, and she takes it as her job to hold the family together. She even starts on a quilt with her two sisters. They each have a cloth, and patch together peices of people they love and trust in their lives. When her youngest brother, Cabot, runs off to sea, a secret about their mother is revealed, and Hannah finds her true love, Richard. Later in the story, we find out that when father, Lawrence, and Thankful were on their trip west, Thankful is taken by Indians. Read this to find out the rest...it's great!

A must read for anyone with type 1 diabetes, or who knows someone with type 1 diabetes, or who likes to read a great book.

I was driving when my 8 year old daughter announced that "Stacy has type 1 too, mom!" "Who is Stacy?" I asked her. "Stacy, the babysitter..." she replied. I started to tell her she didn't have a sitter named Stacy when I realized she was talking about the book she was reading, The Truth about Stacy. How cool! My daughter has type 1 diabetes and had found a heroine who she could really relate to!

We got other BSC books from the old series to read (not the graphic novels), but they hadn't been updated the way the versions Raina Telgemeier illustrated and adapted. Kudos to Raina, who took the time to learn about type 1 and make sure the information was up to date and accurate.

I love the BSC, and the earliest books in the series are my favorites. Ann Martin is one heck of a writer, and this third book in the BSC series tackles some serious issues - Stacey's struggles with diabetes, moving to a new town and fitting in, the loss and re-gain of old friends. A subplot in this book is the girls dealing with a copycat club called the Baby-Sitters Agency that threatens to put them out of business.
Ann, I wish you had written every single book in the series and not used ghostwriters for so many of them!

Raina Telgemaier has outdone herself in this adaptation of a book from the incomparable Baby-sitters Club series!!

This book was one of the best books in the baby sitter club serious and you know there were a LOT! This book really got deep in to Staceys feelings about having deiabets and her strugles with that.
Also the whole club is faced with a problem...some one else has started there own baby sitters club!!!!!!!
Now this wouldn't be so bad if that club wasn't getting more people calling them....and then when that club pays a trick on them the baby sitters club knows the other club HAS to go!!!

I thought that this book was brillantly written! go AMM!I mean of course there is going to be compeition and everything with the club, and how sometimes parents can be so impossiable! even though we know that they do care they seem a little overprotective and dont really listen to what we have to say, so i like this book a lot. and i like it when stacey and charollete bonds, this book is realy good. and its so sad how stacey was upset because she cares about the babysitters club because she doesnt want to lose any of her friends, and i liked that her and laine[her former best friend] were cool again.

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 use this book with our preschool classes when introducing multiculturalism and diversity. I highly recommend this book-- it's a great way to introduce a difficult theme, and it's beautifully written and illustrated.

i really love this boook, since Liz is my fave character, i love how she and conner ended up together.4 all liz coner fans, u must have it

at first it was about Liz n Conner heading back from the party, n they kissed again, Conner showed a lot of concerns n care bout her. Unfortunately, Mr Wkefield caught them on the door, Liz n her parents argued, and Liz stormed to her room.

Jess told Will bout the situation on the phone, and he felt grateful to have sum1 laike Will.
the next morning, before class, Conner walked over to Liz,asking, again with concern how was she doing, and kissed her on the hallway.

when Liz worried that Conner would just back up again from her, it wqas told bye megan that las night, Conner came back from party all happy, goofy face.

Conner thought that he was about becoming Liz's bf, at 1st he was not happy, but "and for the fisrt time in his life, that seemes not bad at all"
at lunch, jess asked liz n conner 2 do double date, n the gang teased conner n liz bout being couple.

conner didn't want to go on double date, but Liz succeed to sweet tal;k him, and it seems like Conner takes Liz seriously.

in the other hand, Jess started to feel irritated that Will always tells her whta to do, n she had to do that
oh ,d wakefields forgave liz n gave liz second chance.

The doulble date was horrible, but we could see that conner put much efforts there, showing how sweet he can be after he falls for liz.

Will Jess had a fight, Will left Jess in the mexican restaurant.
the next day,conner was invited to big mesa party, at 1st he thought it would be a great escape from liz.
but he ended up asked liz to come.

while he pick up liz,who brought jess, mr n mrs W wanted him to stop by 1st and said hi.
it was awkward n hard 4 conner, but again, he did nice job, just 4 liz.

at d party evrybody was talkin bout conner going on an item now, and has "taken" sign all over his attitude. he also held liz hand to show his buddy that liz was his.
at the end, liz n conner make out at empty room, and jess danced w/ jeremy.

If you love Liz and Conner together, you've got to read this one! It's by far the best one in the series so far.

"All About Love" picks up where the wild party in the previous book left off--with a prim-and-proper Elizabeth Wakefield getting drunk and unexpectedly being rescued by a chivalrous Conner McDermott. After that knight-in-shining-armor scene, it appears that Conner is half-man enough to get involved with Liz once again, where before he was too commitment-phobic to even speak to her, for fear of being tied down to one person.

Will Simmons and Jessica Wakefield are obviously having some problems in this book. For starters, Will repeatedly compares Jessica to his long-term ex-girlfriend, Melissa Fox; and Jessica thinks Will is being too possessive and pushy for her taste--plus she's not entirely over her ex either. Things get worse, though, when they decide to double date with Conner and Elizabeth, and one of them walks out during the meal.

Personally, I've never cared for Will. He's obviously not over Melissa, and I still can't excuse his previous spineless behavior concerning the rumors about Jessica.

Meanwhile, Andy Marsden, the joke-cracking slacker (one of my favorite characters in this book), is trying to get "serious" (if you can ever call him that) about raising his GPA and SAT scores for college--but fails miserably. It's amusing how easily he's distracted, like when he finds his old Game Boy hiding on the floor of his closet.

Overall, "All About Love" is another great addition to the SVH Senior Year series, though the title is a little misleading if you're expecting an in-depth explanation on love or expect everyone to be happy with who they're currently with--and that just won't happen, because where would the fun be in that? The unknown ghostwriter (Francine Pascal is just the creator of this series, not the actual writer) continues to generate enjoyably fast-paced stories that are barely printed fast enough for her(?) hungry fans, who can usually devour one or more of them a day. The chat room conversations, short stories, and journal entries certainly make this series more hip and popular than other teen romance series out there.

wow, i really loved this book. id have to say that this might be the best one in the series. I have been waiting forever for conner to finally admit that he does care about Liz and then freaking not dump her after a week. Thank god that didnt happen, like maria and all his other "conquests". although, i did feel bad for maria for a splitsecond about them getting together...since she was so crushed before. oh wait, shes dating Ken. nevermind, i guess this is a good book because my favorite couple finally admited that they were in l-o-v-e and are happy about it. :) doesnt it make you wish there were a conner for everyone?
makes me wish that...;)

The thirteenth book in the SVHSY series is no disappointment. Big things are happening between Will and Jessica and Elizabeth is recovering from her stint as a bad girl.
Jessica and Will are fighting more often because Will is acting like a total pig. Melissa has noticed this and has come up with a plan to get Will back. Instead of trying to break them up Melissa is ignoring Will in the attempt to make Will see what he is missing. After yet another fight Jessica spends the night with Jeremy at a party and Will goes back to Melissa!
Andy is in a frazzle as he realises he has no career plan or college mapped out after seeing the guidance counsellor. He gets even more panicked when he sees the average SAT and GPA scores that will get you accepted into the college(he sees this in The Complete Guide to Colleges!) He really wants to work harder but he keeps getting distracted.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, is in a whole lot of trouble after sneaking out while she was grounded. She also went to Cherie's party and consumed a bit too much alcohol. Her parents aren't too happy but Elizabeth and Conner look to have a stronger relationship even if Conner still hates the word 'couple.'

This is a good book like all SVHSY books. You will like it if you like teen books. This even has stories, e-mails, diary thoughts, lists and more from each character. THe books are short and they make a fun, interesting read.
Happy Reading:)

I think this is a great book because it gives you history about Germany and the Nazi's. Yes, yes most of us have heard all about it. But this book had vivid images of unhumane things that were done to these human beings. I think this is a book that helps you realize that even now a days we have problems with our society. I think it's a book that shows you the tolerance people had in that time. Lastly I must confess that I have never cried by reading a book. However, when I finished readying this book I was sobing. It's a book that really touched me. I would definitly recomment it!

Anne Frank is the most interesting book I ever read. She has interesting life with her family and friends. And it talk about her diaries and letters, including the five missing pages were found in 1998. Melissa Muller is a good writer. This is a great book to read! Beware!! in this book, it talk about who betray the eight jews in the secret annex in 1944, were never been prove who were the actual person who betray them. Read the book "The Hidden of Otto Frank" and it has a theory that someone who betray them.
The Emmy Award winning mini-series "Anne Frank" is the best mini-series I ever seen.

I recently went to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam which prompted me to reread the diary. When I was in my local bookstore I came across this book and bought it. I am glad i did.

This book, while not telling me anything I hadn't really heard before somewhere in all the history books, manages to portray the living conditions of Jews before WII broke out in a simplistic manner. This biog gives a superb timeline as such, of the events preceding the Franks going into hiding.

I also went to Dachau while in Germany, which affected me more than I thought it would, while reading about Anne's time in the camp. I knew before going to Europe and before reading Melissa Mullers book about the conditions the Nazi victims were kept in, but again this book pulled it all together. It may have been that I've been to a camp since reading anything on the subject or it may just have been the incredibly well detailed portrayal of it in this book (I suspect it may be both) but it was all brought home to me hard. As well as being detailed this became personal. In the epilogue Miep Gies writes she doesn't like to hear Anne Frank being labelled the face of the 6 million, but that is inevitable and I don't feel that it lessens the importance of any other victims.

This is a superb biography and I recommend it be read in conjunction with Anne franks Diary. I also recommend visiting the Anne Frank House should you ever have the opportunity to be in Amsterdam

This is one of the most poignant biographies that I have ever read. As with most teenagers in the late 60's and in the 70's, Anne's diary was required reading in our highschool. I remember reading it, but not paying the attention I should have, because as a teenager, her story seemed to be a part of a world that no longer existed. Teenagers cannot appreciate the reality of that time, and though I grew up during the angst of the civil rights era and the Vietnamese War, it was not until some other life happenings occurred that I can now appreciate her story. This includes becoming a mother and an activist for disability rights, and seeing for myself in small and distant ways, man's inhumanity to man.

Muller did an exquisite job in the biography. She avoided speculation, which seems to be a problem for writers of biographies. Anne's story cannot be fully appreciated without more knowledge of her family and the people who protected them. As Anne and her father lived without bitterness for their fate, so too did Melissa Muller write with patience and understanding far beyond the abilities of most of us.

The book is eloquent in its simple praise for the goodness of people who made the right choices during that conflict between good and evil. I hope that reading of the courage of Miep Gies and her husband, and the others in the business formerly owned by Otto Frank, will inspire all of its readers to stand up for what is right whatever situation we may find ourselves in.

My heart still aches for the waste of human potential. And yet, Anne fulfilled so much of that potential and continues to inspire long after her life was over. Much of my heartache was felt for her parents, who in their desire to be with their children, left it until too late to get their children to safety. I understand their choices, and I know they must have lived with the knowledge that they put their children at great risk and berated themselves.

My admiration for the people in Holland and other occupied countries who helped those singled out for destruction on the basis of race and prejudice is immense. I continue to be surprised at how much was done by people who were not perfect, and at their own risk. This is a near perfect biography, in writing and in intelligence. I wish there were more like this out there...
Karen Sadler
University of Pittsburgh

From the years of 1939 to 1945 mankind endured the darkest period of evil and brutality that has gone unparalleled in the modern (and ancient) era. One wicked man's irrational, murderous hatred and insatiable lust for power, combined with the cruel, sociopathic personalities of cowardly henchmen such as Hoess, Himmmler, Goering, and Eichmann, to name a mere few, swept the continent of Europe into total devastation and near destruction, destroying dreams and cancelling the futures of the soldiers who fought for both sides, those who were simple bystanders in bombing raids, and others who simply had the misfortune to be considered "undesirable" and who perished in inhumane, intolerable conditions in horrendous concentration camps such as Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Dachau, Treblinka, Sobibor, and Neuengamme. The dreadfulness of their pain and the senseless of their deaths cannot be imagined, described, forgiven, or forgotten.

One of the millions who was murdered during the Holocaust was Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who lived in hiding with her older sister Margot, their parents Otto and Edith, Hermann and Auguste Van Pels, their son Peter, and Dr Fritz Pfeffer, a dentist, in Amsterdam, Holland, in the secret annexe of the office building which still stands at 263 Prinsengracht. As a literary work and historical document, Anne's diary is perhaps one of the most important volumes to emerge from the twentieth century. However, when reading it, one must remember that it was written by an ordinary teenage girl who was forced to exist under extraordinary and wearisome conditions that would have strained the patience of the Lord himself. Neither Anne nor her co-habitants saw anyone but each other and their benefactors day in and day out, week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out. Hence I feel that the above situation must be considered when reflecting on her often harsh views of her fellow annexe dwellers.

Melissa Muller's book is a great companion to the diary but should not be read instead of it - to do this would be severely shortchanging to oneself. It provides a rounder, fuller narrative of the times, places, and people in Anne's life and of those that decided her fate. From the rise of the Nazi's and their use of bullying tactics as their tyranny and terrorism begins, to Anne's formative years, and a broader, wider, more objective description of the Frank's life in hiding. Particularly heartrending are the chapters in which Melissa Muller describes 4 August 1944, the day the annexe dwellers were arrested, betrayed, like Judas betrayed Jesus, for a symbolic twelve pieces of silver, and previously little known details of Anne's life in the death camps Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen as she bravely fought, and bravely lost, the battle for survival. The tears will fall as the words are read, as they will fall as we share the moment that Otto Frank learns of the terrible fate of his daughters. To lose a beloved spouse is bad enough, but to lose your child, to lose both your children, is an unfathomable and unimaginable grief that never fades even with the passage of many years. And Otto Frank was only one of many parents during the war whose children would never come home..............

Yes, this is a great biography of Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who became world famous because of her diary, who became world famous because she expired in a concentration camp. But Anne is not merely ashes or dust - her soul lives on. And what of her diary? Her diary, the contents of which she guarded so fiercely, has become a gift to millions.

This is one of the earlier Berenstain Bear books, and it shows. The bears are less stylized and cutesy than the bears in the newer books, and the story is halfway between an early reader and the newer, longer read-alouds they do now.

It's a cute little story about three cubs going out with a light, a stick, and a rope to explore. Of course, they lose all three items and run screaming home to mom - and with good reason, that spooky old tree is *really* spooky.

There are only a few words per page, with a basic vocabulary, so it's great for early readers.

We've always read this book with our kids- the whole extended family does. It is a wonderful book. And because of the repetition in it, kids can read it themselves from young age. The illustrations are fantastic, and just scary enough.

I had this book when I was little but over the years it "disappeared". When I saw it available on Amazon, I had to get it! I'm creating a collection of books I read as a child so I can pass them on to my children. I've always enjoyed books by the Berenstains! Their illustrations are very vivid and charming. The storylines in the books are very easy for a child to follow. You should also check out Richard Scarry's children's books.

My husband and I both loved this book as children. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they're still being made.

Most all of the Berenstain Bears books are fun. This one is a favorite. It is a little spooky, but not enough to scare a three year old child. The Bright & Early Berenstain books are fun and quick to read (good books for new readers).

I slip this book into the bedtime rotation a couple times per month. Of all the Berenstain Bears books, this one elicits the most uncomfortable looks from my two, young boys.

That said, the book touches on the value of the truth as well as the problems that result from being a tattler. The book is a great tool for reminding children about values and acts as a springboard to discuss real-world issues.

The best of the Berenstain Bears books can help a parent reemphasize good values and good manners. This book should be in your collection.

I remember the Berenstain bears fondly from my childhood. The books are entertaining with nice illustrations, bright colors and the always interesting...talking bears. They introduce life lessons without being overly preachy about. Our two year-old remembers the lessons and we use them regularly to remind him when he slips up. He is just figuring out how to lie ("mommy didn't give me vitamin yet"). He understands when we compare what he says to the book he knows so well. We've got a bunch of these books and we plan to get all of them!

This and all the Berenstain Bears books are excellent teaching tools for preschoolers. My four year old granddaughter asks for them to be read over and over.

The Berenstainbears has long been one of my favorite books to read to my children because they love it, and because it teaches them lessons about things they will actually deal with in real life. Also, very cute and lovable, the Berenstainbears is a great series for your child to read.

This was a great book. Sometimes you can tell your children something many times, and a book or children's show can suddenly make it click for them. Lots of good lessons here-- always tell the truth, lying breaks the trust between people, and lying makes things complicated and leads to more lies, i.e. When Brother & Sister are asked what happened for the second time, they can't exactly remember how the story went the first time they told it! Stan Berenstain had a wonderful talent for making a life lesson entertaining.