Bats Books

I think this book comes closest to achieving in literature what Platoon did for the movies, putting you in the war in Vietnam. Im not suggesting after reading this you will have a full grasp of the daily life in the Marine Corps outside Danang in 1965 but, hopefully, its as close as many of us will get. It is a horrible account of the disintegration of the human spirit and the humane sensibility that we all have. It takes us to very dark places and provides no easy answers, only tough questions evoked through powerful and beautiful writing. I have to stress the writing because it is exceptional.
As the author states, it is a memoir of his experiences and not meant to be read as an overview of the war itself, but in many ways it is better than that, for instead of mere numbers, we are given the true nature of the war, one we were slowly pulled into and one we seemed to be unable to get out of. For me, I barely remember the Vietnam War and we barely discussed it in History class, but I think a book such as this would be an important addition to our history classes, especially in high school. Its not a long book. It is very intense and can be quite graphic at times but I was impressed that the author didnt dwell so much on the blood and guts but on the men themselves, who they were at the start and who they became later on. That is the fascinating and disturbing part of the book for me. It is philosophical without forcing it, dramatic in the best sense and one I know I will want to read again. Highly recommended!

Good Transaction.. Received the book quickly and in great condition. Brand new and wrapped nicely.

I found this book to be so raw, and so terrifying that it was difficult for me to put it down. Philip Caputo puts the life of an everyday solider during the Vietnam War into a light that I believe does justice to every veteran of the war. He very articulately describes the horrors, and utter impossibilities of fighting a guerilla war in unfamiliar territory, and does so with a writing style that will make you feel as though you are crouched in a foxhole right next to him in the dense jungles of Vietnam. This book is an absolute must read for anyone interested in the Vietnam War, or for anyone who is sick of the constant "glamorization" of war by Hollywood.

I was very impressed with the order of A Rumor of War. The book shipped quickly and arrived between the 7-14 day window. The service was professional. The book details matched the quality of the book. I am very pleased with the service provided.

Caputo's book doesn't need another review. I will offer mine anyway, if nothing else to contrast it with Wolff's "In Pharoah's Army," an inferior book. First, I wish I could have written "A Rumor of War." I wasn't ready to write about the war soon after I returned from Vietnam, in 1967. Not even after a couple years of college in 1971, when I camped on the mall with 1,200 other Vietnam Vets Against the War (including John Kerry). Caputo had the advantage of education on me. Not just that, I needed a lot more time to experience other things and gain a broader perspective. But he made it all perfectly clear when he had a dialogue in the officer's mess with the chaplain and the doctor, "The chaplain's morally superior attitude had rankled me, but his sermon had managed to plant doubt in my mind, doubt about the war. Much of what he had said made sense: our tactical operations did seem futile and directed toward no apparent end. . . . Twelve wrecked homes. The chaplain's words echoed. That's twelve wrecked homes. The doctor and I think in terms of human suffering, not statistics." AND THIS WAS IN 1965, before things really got going in Vietnam. If you want to know what the BS about body counts was--that ended up in a lawsuit by General Westmoreland against Mike Wallace of 60 Minutes, if you want to know what Vietnam was like because you are too young to have learned about it during that time in America and the world's history, read this book. If you want to know how it relates to more recent events, try my own memoir, Waiting for Westmoreland, that finally came out so many years later.

An owl attacks a mother bat one night, as the owl attacked a baby bat named Stellaluna was knocked out of her mother's grip and landed in a nest of baby birds. She must conform to the birds' ways and not hang upside down and starts to eat bugs. However, she then gets the chance to show her fellow bird "siblings" what life is like as a bat and the birds and Stellaluna learn about self-acceptance and accepting others. The genre is picture book and reading level is ages 4-8.
First and foremost it's a picture book that has information about bats and teaches it in the most interesting and appealing way for young readers to understand. The illustrations are very realistic and go fantastic with the words on the page. Genre: Fiction-Picture Book. Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Completed by Z on 5/12/08

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon is about a bat named Stellaluna. When she was barely born she was with her mother. Then an owl struck Stellaluna's mother. Stellaluna went down faster and faster until she hit a branch, hung up side down and covered herself. The next day she fell down in a nest. She never knew the nest. She met some birds named Pip, Flitter and Flap. Mama Bird came and let her stay. She also brought a green grasshopper for Stellaluna to eat so she won't be hungry. Stellaluna got in trouble by Mama Bird because she was hanging upside down with Pip, Flap and Flitter. Mama Bird said that if she doesn't behave she will not live in the nest. The next day it was time to learn how to fly. When Stellaluna flew she was full of happiness. When she landed she was trying to stand on the branch. Then she did it. It took her a lot of time but she got it. She flew a lot with Pip, Flitter and Flap. Then the birds went home. Stellaluna was hanging by her wings, too tired to soar. There came a bat hanging upside down. A lot of bats came. Bats were asking her questions. Someone wanted to see her. It was her mother! She was so happy. Stellaluna was hungry. Her mother said they would fly at night to find fruit. They found mangoes. When she was done she was upside down with Flitter, Pip, and Flap. At night they couldn't see. Quickly they were falling down but Stellaluna caught their hands wrapping them closely like they were sisters and brothers.

It doesn't matter if you're different. You can still be friends. Stellaluna and the birds ate different things. They fly at different times. They were different but Stellaluna still saved them. Stellaluna taught the birds how to hang upside down. I liked the way that Stellaluna was a bat and she still saved the birds when they weren't brothers and sisters.

By Jose

This book was in excellent condition. I gave it as a gift. Also I received it very quickly.

This was worth the purchase. My daughter has been in love with Stellaluna since the moment she discovered it at the library. She asked for this book for Easter in lieu of an Easter basket. It's a beautifully illustrated storybook. The story itself is wonderful; being both educational on a rudimentary level concerning the nature of fruit bats and so forth and for the moral of the story which is really about being true to oneself and living your life according to who you really are. We highly recommened this children's book.

This is one of the greatest childrens books I have read for a mostly unpopular animal. (A bat) It was warm, humorous, and delightful. A must read for all ages.

On a recent trip to visit my nephew (who is in the second grade) he read this book to me each night, it was so cute with good illistrations I bougth a copy for my grand children when I got home. They enjoy it to.

First, let me say that my children love looking at the pictures in this book. The pages are wide and full of bats doing all kinds of fun things. I give it four stars based on the illustrations. The text is a bit lacking. Some thought was obviously put into it: the author fits in fun things like "bug-mallows" and "pickled slugs". However, the text is rhyming verse and Lies doesn't use consistent meter. I found it a bit clunky to read and felt like the words drew attention to themselves instead of working together as a whole. It's still worth getting, especially if you know a little kid like mine who loves bats and bugs. The pictures are excellent and kids won't notice anything amiss in the text.

I read one reviewer who gave this book 1 star he/she bought it and found it to be nothing but "fluff". I have to firmly disagree I found this book enticing it had a new concept and that was bats in a whole new light (well kinda since the book takes place at night), but normally if you hear about bats their depicted only in Halloween books made out to be creepy, swooping, bug slurping cave dwellers. These bats are FUN, FUN, FUN as is the book! The text is rhythmic and the illustrations are luminous, I highly recommend it for ages 2+.

Fabulous illustrations! What a playful way to talk about the fun families have at the beach. This is one of our favorites. We read it at the beach last year with our young children and nieces and they asked for it over and over. The adults vied for who got to read it each night. Great book.

I love this book! The illustrations are so original (how about the bat who's cold on the beach so he's wrapped up all cozy in his wings?!)Here's my two cents: I've purchased this book for several very special kids in our lives...it's ALWAYS a hit. Our daughter-in-law, who teaches 1st grade, saw it at our house and had to add it to her school room collection. It's now one of her favorites! Now that our daughter and son-in-law are having our first grandchild (a boy)in the spring, I have begun to compile a set of my favorite books to keep for the little one. I ordered another copy of Bats at the Beach today. Another favorite is Wishes for You by Toby Tobias...give that to anyone with a new baby! Another favorite is Because of You by B.G. Hennessy--wonderful sentiment to it. So, if you like to read to the special little ones in your life, pick up Bats at the Beach and see for yourself. They're going to giggle at the story and be fascinated with illustrations!

My son has been reading this series. He loves the story line - he's 11, but reads on a college level. So, I would say this is appropriate for that age group, and interresting enough to hold the attention of an older reader. The sory line seems interesting enough for an adult reader wanting a quick read too.

This book is really awesome. This book starts when a runt silverwing bat named Shade wants to find his father. His father, Cassiel, disappeared after he wanted to see a human building. So, Shade, Chinnook, Ariel, Freida, and a lot of other bats go to find him. On their trip they get stuck in an indoor forest, where humans put exploding metal bands on bats and birds because they use the explosive bands to blow up building for war. Shade and Chinnook have to escape from exploding and then they run into Goths forest, and then they have to save the world from eternal night. Goth is a vampire bat. One of the coolest things about the bats is their echo-vision. Shade uses his echo-vision and makes himself look like a vulture to the vampire bats. The best part of this book is when Shade and his family and other silverwing bats and some rats enter the bone room. I like when they crawl into the bone room because it is really creepy and full of bones.
My favorite character was Throbb, but he dies in Silverwing. My favorite character in Sunwing is Cassiel because he says things that can be funny. The thing I don't like about this book is how there are too many things to do with forests. In the beginning they run into a human forest and it takes them 6 chapters to get out of that forest. Later in the book they run into Goths forest and it takes them 3 chapters to get out. But sometimes they do interesting stuff in the forests. My least favorite character is Goth because at the end all he does is roar. I want every body to buy this book! But, you must read Silverwing first to understand Sunwing.

This book is as good as the first one, and is as enjoyable as the first as well. But, don't read Firewing, you'll hate it. I did.

Sunwing was one of the BEST books I've EVER read! It has lots of fiction in it but, it also has a large amount of true facts in it also. I truly reomend this book. And it has a bunch of action and adventure in it. And I think people who like animals such as, bats, mice, owls etc. will LOVE this book completley.

Jacob Milette

My daughter is 9 years old and not into traditional girl stuff. She enjoys stories that feature animals. She has firewing and one other in the series qnd has enjoyed them all.

I have several relatives with cancer,including my son who is a childhood leukemia surviver. I bought this book expecting to learn more about dealing with the diagnosis of the "Big C". I got that and much, much more.

This book is an inspiration for those touched by cancer, but also an inspiration to see how seemingly small decisions or details in life can a have huge impact. It also is an insider's view of what life in the Deep South was like in the mid-19th century.

Whether you read this book to better understand how to deal with cancer, how to face difficult circumstances in general, or how how a single person can make a huge difference in the lives of others, or just an interesting read you will not be disappointed.

maybe i expected too much, but this book only has a good title.

I expected a book more like "tuesdays with morrie". which was: you get inspired about life & realize there really is no such thing as a bad day through the story being told.

in this book, hamilton sort of just tells you to believe "there is no such thing as a bad day" and then he explains logically why a good mental attitude is good for you.

a better title would be: "how i learned that positive mental attitude is helpful in my battle against cancer"

i hate to diss the book, it just was not a fun or exciting read for me.

Not many books kept me up past my bedtime but this ranks as one of them. Jordan is frank, lucid and at times funny but I would prefer if he elaborates on his tenure as chief of staff further. I'm sure the conversation he had with Carter in his old car campaining for this little known person then would interest a lot of people...well he left that part out.
This book is about hope and doing something about it.

Unquestionably the finest memoir that I have read in my life. Mr. Jordan powerfully describes his most personal experiences with both cancer and American politics in an incredible manner. This book contains stories that every human should have the opportunity to read. Mr. Jordan is a cancer survivor, a family man, a politial leader, and most importantly a gentleman. My recomendation is to not only buy this book for yourself, but also copies for every person who is important to you as well. You certainly will be glad that you did. I thank Mr. Jordan for writing such a wonderful book for us all to read. It is certainly as good as they come.

Hamilton Jordan tells of his inspiring victory over the deadly disease that affects us all in one way or another - cancer. He also tells the intriguing and compelling history of his brief tenure in the White House under Jimmy Carter as well as the inspiring story of his uncle, who fought racism in rural Georgia ahead of his time.

But above all, this book provided me with a shot in the arm while I was in the hospital for over a month with pneumonia. Feeling somewhat down, this book really lifted my spirits.
Jordan proves that a positive outlook and one deeply rooted in prayer and faith in God immensely helps those in dire medical circumstances. I am a walking monument and a true believer of the power of prayer and faith in God.

I highly recommend this book to everyone - whether you're sick or not. It is ineffably a book that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling after you put it down. A great gift to someone you love - including yourself.

Amazingly, I actually liked Miss Marple in this story. She's the likeable, feisty woman I remember from my childhood, not the snooty, condescending know-it-all from the last few books I've read. Still, I think the plot of this one is a little over-reaching, but it a faster paced mystery than most of the Marples - especially the ending. And even though it's on the short side, you still get a good sense of the characters and setting, and nearly enough details to solve the mystery yourself, if you're so inclined.

A must-read for any old-school mystery enthusiast, and one of the better Marples I've read of late (though Poirot is still better in my book!).

really scary. In some ways a refreshing break from the usual formulaic mystery. Very creepy. Great.

This is a typical Agatha Christie book - a combination of mystery & suspense, along with the "I-can't-put-this-book-down" feeling.
I recommend this book to all Agatha Christie fans!

It was a nice mystery, but it didn't stick in my head long after I was finished with it. In fact, I had to review the plot again to write this review! That says something, because I have a good memory for books that really draw me in. However, I would recommend this book for any Christie fan.

Agatha Christie is well deserving of the title, the First Lady of Mystery. "Sleeping Murder", which is Miss Marple's last case, further enhances the rare distinction placed upon its author. It is a fast-paced exhilarating mystery that digs deep into the past to uncover a ghost that at least one person did not want uncovered.

When Gwenda Reed arrives in England, as a newlywed separated from her husband, her task is to search for the perfect house along the southern coast. Before too long, she finds exactly the right place that soon feels a little too much like home. When some strange coincidences leave Gwenda feeling as if she were going crazy, she discovers that she actually lived in the house when she was a very little girl, and was an eyewitness to a grizzly murder that no one seems to know anything about. Against better judgment, she and her husband Giles take it upon themselves to dig up the past to discover if Gwenda's father was at fault, and if Gwenda actually witnessed a murder, or just dreamed it up.

The title "Sleeping Murder" refers to a murder in retrospect, or a murder that seems to be dead but was merely sleeping. With Miss Marple on hand with ready help and suggestions, the Reeds soon uncover the truth, but with many a twist and turn along the way. "Sleeping Murder" has all of the elements that make Christie's mysteries such a marvel to read, even if the conclusion comes a bit quickly after an elaborate buildup.

As an admitted father of two toddlers, book lover, history buff and baseball fan, my review may seem like the most biased you could read. Yes, I do love this book on many levels.

But I have shared this book with children and adults of all ages -- many that care less about baseball, sports or history -- and all have been captivated by the illustrations and unbelievable level of detail Christopher Bing brought to this book.

Indeed, it is "copiously and faithfully illustrated" by the author. Every time you pick up this book you will be rewarded for your attention: it is filled with interesting little images of ads, money and baseball-related items from the period.

This book will surprise and delight you, again and again. Nice job, Mr. Bing. Very nice job.

Anyone who loves baseball, poetry, or amazingly intricate illustrations will love this book. I've used it in the classroom as part of units on poetry and baseball and it's always a hit. Great stuff!

I loved this book. I loved how they took a old poem and put it in to a book!!! So if could 1,000,000 copies of one book Cassey at the Bat would be it!!!

What a wonderful rendition of one of my favorite (and many others) poems! Not only do I like this book my self (I actually own the thing), but I have found it to be very useful in school and in teaching young grandsons. The author has taken the classic poem of Casey at the Bat and turned it into a piece of art and a history lesson all in one. He has used old newspaper clippings of the late 1800s as a back ground to his wonderful illustrations. A close look at these clippings reveal that they enhance and go along with the story quite well. Not only do the kids (I use this for 3rd graders through 6th graders) get to hear, as I read the book to them, one of our classic "fun poems" but they get a great history lesson as we discuss the context of the story with the newspaper background. It is rather amazing, upon close examination, just how much extras information the author has packed into this book. Now I realize that this is classified as a juvenal book, which I think is a real shame as it will possible divert the attention of older baseball fans and they will miss out on quite a lot. That is a pity. This book is actually quite suitable for a baseball fan of any age. I know I treasure my copy at well over sixty years old...of course I must admit to still having a lot of little boy in me, still. Highly recommend this one.

Christopher Bing's version of Ernest Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" is a must for serious baseball fans of any age. He presents the Thayer's classic ballad in a scrapbook/folio format, the poem superimposed against a "yellowed" and torn newspaper. For authenticity--and baseball fans are sticklers for details--Bing uses period font from the era, draws black and white line pictures resembling hand-engravings (it wasn't until 1890 that newspapers replaced engravings with the speedier photoengraving technique), and layers the whole effort with printed ephemera, including "caveat emptor" (let the buyer beware) medicinal ads, newspaper clippings about baseball, and memorabilia such as money, tickets, and medallions. I know about the birth of newspaper photoengraving only because Bing includes a lot of interesting history (and copious acknowledgements) in the newspaper-formatted endpapers.

The strength of the poem is unquestioned; "Casey" is so firmly engrained in the national psyche that the Library of Congress lists him as a real person, complete with birthdate. Dozens of authors mimicked or enhanced the piece, and the ballad's illustrators include Leroi Neiman, Barry Moser, and Patricia Polacco. Bing's choice of (mostly) drab colors will probably lose a younger audience; Patricia Polacco corners that demographic with her warm and wonderfully loopy style. Nor does Bing add any overt story features; Polacco changes the setting to a contemporary Little League game, and frames the story with some family dynamics between Casey, his sister, and the game's umpire-his dad!

Where Bing excels is context. Obviously, he displays the style and format of printed materials in his pseudo-engravature, and his fictionalized but historically accurate newspaper clippings. More importantly, however, he shows how the tight interweaving of baseball and society. Baseball, like the Constitution (Scalia and Thomas dissenting) and the performing arts in general, changes with the times. Back in 1888, baseball had one umpire, used one ball throughout the game, and lacked fences (one amusing clipping tells of a fan absconding with a ball so that the opposing team couldn't field it). In 1888, African-American players played alongside Whites, but the writing is on the wall, one telling clip hints at the eventual banning of all but Caucasian players.

Bing makes a few errors (one of his newspaper accounts praises Casey's hitting in another game, but the box score shows that he went 0 for 5), and he normalizes Casey--his face shows reasonable emotion, not the overwrought feelings that Thayer describes in his grand, faux-epic style.

However, the book casts an impressively broad net over an entire era, and look ahead towards the inevitable change. It's a great model for similar classroom projects, and Bing's research and color illuminate the reciprocity between society and game like no other. Still, this is not a book for young kids (except for those who are really, really into baseball, and who have the attention span to pour over the ephemera). The overall look is a grayish/yellow drab, with specks of color, and Bing packs in a lot of information. I believe Bing would agree that it's not the definitive or even the best "Casey" version for all ages-what could be?--even with its Caldecott honor and a legion of fans.

Bing's "copious and faithfully illustrated" achievement (and ultimately, much of the book's following stems from its achievement in research and illustration, as opposed to its entertainment value for kids) is impressive, educational, and maps neatly onto Thayer's poem. It's easy to imagine kids from older elementary school through middle school, as well as adult fans, pouring over every background detail as Casey's sneers one more time.

The vegan recipes offered in this book will excite your taste buds and rekindle your passion for good food. A wonderfully health conscious collaboration of recipes, from various chefs, authors and the people at Friends of Animals with a great personal touch from Priscilla Feral. Family friendly recipes like Wheat free wild rice pancakes (pg.8) and scrambled tofu (pg. 11) keep the kid's complaint free through breakfast. There is a great range of sophisticated to super simple recipes to satisfy any taste.

While i personally tend to simply wing it when cooking and rarely use recipes or cookbooks, my friend Heather Steel also from Victoria, BC asked if i could post her review of Dining with Friends since she s had such positive experiences, which has inspired me to want to crack it OPEN as well!

Here s Heather s review:

When I m trying to decide what to bring for a potluck, this is the first book I take off the shelf. So far, every recipe I have tried from this book has been a huge success! This is the first recipe book I can actually make such a positive statement about. No matter how accurately I try to follow a recipe there are usually at least one or two recipes in a vegan cookbook which flop - especially in the baked goods section. I ve tried over half of the recipes in Dining With Friends are they have ALL turned out ultra delicious. Most are quite easy to prepare with common vegan ingredients and yet their presentation is really quite unique. I m particularly impressed with the dessert section ... the Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake, for example, looks unbelievable elegant and is a unique addition to vegan and non-vegan tables alike. It is fun to prepare these dishes for non-vegans and totally change their mis perceptions of vegan food. Another bonus about this book is the Raw Foods section which contains yummy, enzyme-rich treats for the tummy. Even if you re not into raw, most of the dishes in this book contain relatively healthy ingredients so you can feel doubly good about eating them as their good for you and for the rest of the animals on the planet.

As a NYC resident, there are fantastic restaurants and prepared food geared towards vegans here, so it takes a lot for me choose to create my own gourmet meals.

Dining With Friends inspired me to spend more time preparing some truly delicious and classic recipes and to share them with others. The first recipe I tried was the Cashew Cream Lasagna, and not only did it knock my socks off, it impressed several non-vegetarians at a holiday gathering to no end. One taster refused to believe it was vegan, due to the exquisite and rich cheesiness of the dish. I'd formerly thought of vegan lasagna as rather boring until this recipe-now it's my first choice for bringing to events and for impressing those wary of plant-based cuisine.

My latest favorite for winter months is the Vegetable Bisque-a delicious and comforting soup which melts in your mouth and has just the right amount of texture and creaminess. As someone who was never a big fan of tempeh, I've since changed my opinion after making the Tempeh London Broil. This dish is simply spectacular and goes will with almost any side dish you can think of. As for desserts, I can guarantee that anyone who makes the Key Lime Pie will adore it as much as I do!

No kitchen is complete without this cookbook, so I encourage anyone to but a copy (or several) as gifts for friends and family. It just might inspire you the way it inspired me!

Dining with Friends: The Art of North American Vegan Cuisine

Dining with Friends is truly an inspired cookbook. I have shelves of vegetarian cookbooks and this cookbook stands out as a favorite of my family's due to the simplicity of the recipes and the flavorful results. When I've prepared dishes from this cookbook and taken them to events, inevitably people ask me for the recipes. I'm always anxious to purchase this cookbook for others who may not be vegan because I know they can find the ingredients and follow the recipes. Dining with Friends is a winner.

Dining with Friends has many great vegan recipes that my family and I have enjoyed. The Lentil Orzo Casserole is fabulous and the Cashew Cream Lasagna was a huge hit. My teenage sons lapped up the Cream of Broccoli soup. The recipe for Braised Brussel Sprouts is a tasty new way to prepare this often overlooked vegetable. They were so good that my son and I ate them all and had none to bring to the Thanksgiving dinner we attended. Aah, the vegan cookie dough! Very easy to prepare and the Thumbprint Cookies were gone within hours. I had planned on making the Snowy Almond Crescents however, those same teenage hands got into the dough and that was the end of that. At least I didn't have to worry about salmonella poisoning since this was vegan dough after all and contains none of the cruel and unhealthy animal products. I look forward to trying many more of the recipes in this beautifully prepared cookbook.

Block has to be one of the most beautiful, most creative writers in the whole world! I love her writing style. It is so easy to get lost in her books with all of her wonderful descriptions.... pretty soon you are breathing the musky air of her world.
Witch Baby is adorable with her purple hair and her bad attitude.
The story that Block included within this book about the people who find the glowing globe of blue and then die after decorating themselves with it was haunting....
I felt so bad for Witch Baby because she felt so unwanted....
I love the scene when she dances on the pancakes after hiding in the trunk when Dirk and Duck go on vacation.

A Review by Brittany

This book is about a baby that a family took and called her Witch Baby and raised her as their own. She grew up in Shangri, Los Angeles. She had purple eyes, wild, dark hair and looked at the world in a very special way. Even though Witch Baby tried to fit in, she never felt as if she truly belonged. One day she packed her bat-shaped backpack and put on her black cowboy-boot roller skates and went into the world to find out who she really was.

The realism of this book is that there are some real character names like Rachel and Dirk and two other names, there are such things as surf boards and surfing and water and cars and roads, and a few other things, but other than that there is not a lot. The conflicts in this book there are a few like in the beginning Witch Baby wants to go with Dirk and Duck on their little adventure to one of their moms house. Then there was the conflict when Dirk and Duck found out that Witch Baby snuck into their car and ate all of the fig-newtons. The relevance of this book to todays world is that it almost has a lot of the same things we do as in cars, roads, people, water, surfing, surfboards, etc;. This book is pretty boring. So basically I did not like this book.

The kind of person that might enjoy this book is a person that enjoys mystery.

Never, EVER think that this book belongs on the children's fiction table. Well, it belongs there, obviously. But it would also fit in very comfortably in the adult fiction section.

Witch Baby is a girl who has never quite felt at home in the family who adopted her. This book is all about her trying to fit in, to relate to the people around her, and to find her true niche in life. Although it all sounds very cliche, this is one of the most rewarding books I've read in a long time. The print is large, the book is small enough to read in an evening, and you walk away feeling as if it was more than worth the effort.

Written in fairly plain, even childlike language, using slang that could seem forced in another context, but fits in nicely, it is truly a work of art. At times it is hard to fit Witch Baby into an age bracket - at times she seems little older than ten, but at others she could be seven or eight years older than that.

With characters such as My Secret Agent Lover Man, and Angel Juan, again it seems childlike in its outlook. However, issues confronted in the book, like acceptance of homosexuality, being adopted and finding your true roots are deep and well presented in this book. In this kind of book, a younger reader could encounter, for example, homosexuality in a non-judgemental light, and completely accept it at a younger age.

This book is a jewel to read.

Witch baby the book stands out among the other works in the Dangerous Angels series just as Witch Baby the character does from her colourful, sparkling, and seemingly wonderful almost-family in glittering LA. The story of Witch Baby is written from the point of view of a mysterious, elf-like little girl with a dark, secretive, and magical nature about her. She lives in a world of family, friends, sunshine and movies, but never feels that she really belongs to it. Is it because she's the daughter of a witch? Because she never knew who her father was? Whatever the reason, Witch Baby is determined to find her place in the world (most importantly in her own family), and opens peoples eyes in her own mysterious Witch Baby way. I love this book because it really makes the reader see things from a unique point of view, using the colourful imagery and feeling that Francesca Lia Block is known for. This is a particularly good read for adolescent and teenage girls, but I would encourage anyone to try it, because I think everyone can relate to Witch Baby and her struggle to fit in at some point in their lives.

Francesca Lia Block, Witch Baby (Harper, 1991)

The adventures of Weetzie Bat and Co. continue in this second book in the cycle, though Weetzie takes a background to Witch Baby here. Witch Baby is almost the darker side of Weetzie's coin, and gets into a number of the same messes (the names and dates change, but the situations sound somewhat similar). Block's Acker-esque fasination with ways to twist language continues apace.

The book's major failing, as compared to its predecessor, is that Block lets her prejudices bubble much closer to the surface here, and the books smacks far more of politics than did Weetzie Bat. Political polemic and novels do not mix (though, to be fair, it's easier to do in fiction than poetry; a handful of poets can do it successfully, while perhaps a dozen novelists have managed it over the years). While Block seemed to have the trick down in Weetzie Bat, here it comes off as pedestrian at best. (To be fair, though, unlike most political screed masquerading as fiction, it never gets in the way of the story or interferes with the pace.)

I hope the politics calm down in the series' later books, and that this was just a dip in quality easily remedied. Guess I'll find out as I keep going. ** ½

The purpose of a book, in my opinion, is to take the reader away and allow him to experience what the author writes about. McGough has done an excellent job of doing this in his debut.

As a kid, I was obsessed with baseball. It was a rite of passage in our country for young boys to collect baseball cards and idolize the players on their faces. McGough was able to gain access to this world, which is a privilege most of us would have died for. He preserves that childlike wonder throughout this book. Rather than becoming annoying, this tone allows the reader to empathize with McGough's struggles and cheer at his triumphs.

The book also gives a fresh new look at the inner workings of a baseball team. Most sports books are written by players or journalists. Both groups have a certain detachment from society as a whole. McGough is an average kid from New York city with an average kid's problems. He writes about how his grades suffer, struggling to talk to girls, and other situations an adolescent male would find himself in. The difference is that most kids don't have millionaire pals who will lend a helping hand in impressing a young lady. McGough's description of his interactions with the players is very humanizing. In a way, McGough takes these players off the pedestal society has placed them on and shows the reader they are average guys.

This book is my favorite baseball book by far, even surpassing Jim Bouton's Ball Four. If you have a baseball fan in the family, get this book for them. You won't be sorry.

You don't need to be a Yankee fan or a baseball fan to enjoy this book. As a diehard Red Sox fan, I feel guilty that I've taken a liking to a Yankee's team written about in this book. Mr. Mcgough does an incredible job of making you feel that you're part of the locker room, in the dugout, and on the field with the team.

If you are a Yankee fan who remembers the team of the mid-80's era, this book is a nice walk down memory lane. It's a quick, easy read written in an enjoyable narrative style, and it provides the reader with an inside glimpse that most of us Yankee fans would have given our left foot to experience.

This was an amazing book and probably one of the best autobiographys I've ever read. Growing up in California I've been a hard core Oakland a's and San Fransico Giants fan. Reading this book makes you love the Yankees. Mr.Mcough's writing gives you the feeling that you're actually at the baseball game. Matt gives you a full on description of everything he does and if he does something bad or gets in trouble it makes you relate when something like that happened to you. It's great description and humor this definitely a must read for anyone.

I can't recommend this book enough for any Yankee fan who suffered through the '80's and early '90's. Perfect read for a day at the beach or a plane ride.