Educational Books

This book was loaned to me by a Thai monk in Los Angeles. He recommended it for someone who is attempting to understand the teachings of Buddha. It is not an easy read but it is clearly written. I found it a book that needed study and time for reflection and because of that I bought the book and returned the loaned copy to the monk. I would recommend it for anyone exploring the way of the Buddha. I might also state that the teachings detailed here seem not to conflict with Christianity but rather complement it.

As a novice Buddhist student, I found this book very helpful. First Published in 1964, the writing style is somewhat more formal than we are used to today, but I find the style of writing lends the book a feeling of respectfulness and sincerity. Although the precepts are scholarly, they are presented in a clear and easy-to-understand way. The book is interesting, not dry or boring. Whether you are interested in finding out what Buddhism is, or are a beginning or advanced student, this book will be helpful. I could even recommend this book as leisure (if not a little serious) reading because of the interest level.

I am a student who spends every Summer living in Theravada Buddhist temple to learn the traditional Buddhism in depth. My father is also a Buddhist Venerable. I have read many Buddhist books written in English, and it is very hard to find a good one that interprets the words of Buddha in a correct way. Buddhism has been modified a lot by different Buddhist branches and has lost so much of its old messages that Buddha wanted to teach. Especially in Western society, it takes time and effort to find a good Buddhist book that sounds logical, scientific, not supernatural, and still kept the traditional, universal ideas of Buddha. Among many books that I have read in several different languages, this one seems to be the best in English for those beginers and intermediate level of Buddhism to discover the life of Buddha and his teaching to reduce sufferings for everyone's life regardless religions or races. To me, Piyadassi Thera's word choices are very selective, careful, logical, trustful, and more universal than personal. I have bought 3 books to offer to my American friends and they liked it alot, this time I am going to buy 4 more. Believe me, it is a valuable book for your right view of life! But, please read slowly, analyse what you read, ask questions to yourself, find out the answers before believing or judging any piece of writing!

As a student who spends every Summer in Theravada Buddhist temple to learn Buddhism in depth and a daughter of a Buddhist Venerable, I think this book is a valuable one for those beginners and intermediate level students who want to discover the life of Buddha and the ancient path that he taught to help everyone regardless religions or races on how to reduce sufferings in one's own life. Piyadassi Thera's word choices are very careful, logical, trustful, universal, and traditional that fit more to Buddha's words than other books that focus more on the authors' own opinions and interpretation from modified Buddhist branches. A very good book to help you have a right view of life, and how to live right in order to avoid mistakes and sorrow.

A MUST read for anyone considering this breed. A wonderful and very informative book. Very helpful to me in understanding many behaviors of this particular breed, although too much emphasis on AKC opinions, functions etc. Not everyone is interested in the almighty AKC opinions and standards for showing. Sometimes a pet is just that, a beloved pet, not a show dog!

For the price, this book gives a fair amount of info on the breed and some great pictures, good beginning book when first learning on the breed, definately recomend.

my husband and I had been thinking of getting a Bull Terrier. From the beginning of this book, we kept learning more and more about this wonderful, spunky breed. Well detailed information to include pictures of the different colors of breed, health issues, needs, wants, even showed a picture of the best toy for this dog: a kong. Recommend for anyone who is interested in this breed whether they're buying one soon or just want more knowledge on this "clown dog" :)

What a wonderful and beautifully put together book! I know the author is very knowledgable, but this was even more then I expected.
The organization seemed to flow very well and the pictures were beautiful. This is a must have for all Bull Terrier owners, perspective owners and dog lovers.
Thank you Mrs. Alexander for all of your hard work to give us this great book!

A lot of good research and info on bullying; however even more up-to-date with more practical solutions for schools,classrooms and homes is
Bully-Proofing Children: A Practical, Hands-On Guide to Stop Bullying.A great section on cyberbullying should be read by all caretakers of children.

This book is an excellent resource for people in academia. It provides a wealth of information about bullying in schools. Definitely, this is a great start and more work needs to be done on research and bullying!

The editors of this book have compiled a broad cross section of the current research on bullying and prevention strategies. This is an excellent book for anyone who would like to understand bullying. I also enloyed the website devoted to this topic at : http://www.bullyinginamericanschools.com

On the back cover William Pollack, Ph.D.(author of Real Boys) calls this book a "must read!" I agree with Dr. Pollack 100%. The authors have put together the most comprehensive and insightful book on bullying that I have been able to find. I especially like the focus on research proven intervention and prevention strategies. That way we know they work. This book is also unique in that it seems as though it would be beneficial to both professionals (teachers, psychologists, counselors) and parents. If you want state of the art information on bullying and what to do about it, this book is for you.

Kiri is very excited when she gets a origami kit from her aunt as a birthday gift. She tries right away to make a butterfly with the kit. After several tries she gets fustrated with it and almost gives up. As she practices she gets better and better. Instructions are included on how to make your ouw butterfly. Remember it's not easy and you will have to work on it just like Kiri but it will be really neat in the end.

The story has a great lesson. The lesson I learned from this story is that practice makes perfect and to never give up.
This book would be neat to share in the classroom or at a storytime while learning about origami and or Asian countries.

-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:
"A Japanese American child receives an origami kit for her birthday. The brightly colored papers are "as thin as butterfly wings" and she handles them with care and reverence, spreading them out "like a rainbow." Kiri pores over the diagrams in the instruction book and tries to "Fold crisply" and "Crease sharply!" The steps become more complicated and when the delicate sheet tears, she cries in frustration. Afraid of ripping another piece, she puts the papers away. As time passes, Kiri enjoys other artistic pursuits, like painting and chalk drawing, but she is still intrigued by the art of origami and continues to practice her folds on notebook paper. When her watercolors run together on make a soggy hole in the center of her picture, she finds another use for the origami papers. she cuts out flower shapes and as she glues them on her painting, "The colors began to dance." Feeling emboldened, she selects a sheet of yellow paper and sucessfully folds a butterfly. Falwell's cut-and-torn paper collages are the perfect medium for the story. Kiri's disappointments are realistically captured, as is her creative spirit. Instructions on how to make an origami butterfly are included.
-BOOKLIST:
"Colorful and bright, this story of frustration and determination will appeal to children who have experienced both . . . . The cut-and-torn paper collages are just the right medium for this story, and Falwell uses her papers to good effect-sometimes very simply, sometimes in elaborate ways-to capture both the enthusiasm of the child and the enthusiasm apparent in Kiri's art. A final page offers instructions for making an origami butterfly; as with Kiri, it may take children awhile to master the project, but they should enjoy practicing."
MORNING NEWS:
"Butterflies gives young readers the feeling of having a book in a book with Kiri's own story of her birthday treasure. More practically, readers can try out origami using some of the instructions included in the story. Author/illustrator Cathryn Falwell cleverly spreads the joy through Kiri's own words as she calls out the instructions from her book, "'Fold crisply. Crease sharply.' the book said." Kids, try the step-by-step picture instructions at the end of the book to make your own origami butterfly. It looks easy enough even for grown-ups. -THE DALLAS

Butterflies For Kiri by author/illustrator Cathryn Falwell is the story of Kiri, a young girl who is struggling to learn the art of origami, paper folding to craft a beautiful butterfly from a square sheet of colored paper. Her first tries tear the paper, yet with inspiration, determination and perseverance, Kiri is able to achieve her goal. Instructions for young people to fold their own butterflies are included in this charming, full-color picture book.

My children and I were delighted to find this new book by one of our favorite author illustrators. Kiri struggles with learning a new skill the same way my little perfectionist 7-yr-old daughter does. The way Kiri explores her own creative expression while continuing to patiently practice the folding of the origami is really beautiful. When both of these parts come together at the end of the story, Kiri's imagination dances free. My daughter found a kindred spirit in Kiri. The illustrations are gorgeous. My younger children also enjoyed this book.

This book features beautifully executed illustrations of both male and female Byzantine fashions from the empire's many ages. Adapted from works of late-antique and medieval art, the drawings present emperors, aristocrats, townspeople, country people, clerics, and soldiers. The introduction gives an overview of terms pertaining to Byzantine clothing. Explanatory notes, including reference to the time period and to the class of individuals represented, accompany each drawing. Finally, the closing pages contain small depictions of the various hats, hairstyles, and footwear worn throughout Byzantium's long millennium. A valuable resource for students of Byzantine history, and a genuine visual treat.

I would recomend this coloring book to any young artist, especially one that loves history. Actually, I think all the Dover coloring books are great: very detailed and beautiful!

When I've got a Tom Tierney coloring book, I know I'm in for a world of fashion fun. I own several of Mr. T.'s coloring books - and have enjoyed all of them immensely.

I always have a creative blast with Tom's coloring books. He draws each person as an individual with interesting expressions and body language which I find invites me to create dialog for the character, especially since there are usually two figures per page.

Tom also supplies interesting facts about the fashions being worn and the time period.

The fashions and figures are always very well drawn. Some of the designs are intricate, if a child finds the smaller lines difficult to manage, I would suggest just color over the design/pattern on the clothes--it will still look wonderful--if you use something which allows the design to show through the color.

I do them with markers that won't bleed through, and colored chalk applied with Q-tips.

An ideal coloring book for anyone who enjoys coloring people and costumes/clothes.

Highly recommended.

As an educator of history I feel that this is a great outlet for the precocious child or the history buff-collector. Money well spent!

I am about to take my exam and I am quite confident thanks to this exam book by William Pivar. I was not able to find the companion that can go with this book according to the Introduction. I think it would have made it even easier to learn.

Without a doubt this book is excellent in almost every way.
I am preparing for the California Brokers exam and have purchased many books and this is the best value and best written of them all by far, BY FAR!
The introduction specifically states that this book was written to prepare readers to take and pass the California Real Estate Salesperson and Broker examinations.
Buy this book!

I baught this book at first just so I can see how I would feel about getting into real estate. Let me tell you, I studied the book, took the C21 course (we went over the same material that was in the book but rushed through it in class)then took and finished my state exam in a little over a half hour (3-31/2 hour test if I remember correctly).

Believe me when I say, this book helped me a lot. I don't think I would have past the state exam with just taking the crash course.

I have been in real esate for a year now :). Thank you, Mr. Pivar

This book is a rigorous study book. And it is a lot less expensive than taking a cram course. It is the only thing I studied and I passed the first time!! Now I just wish there was a companion book for the Broker's exam!!!

A must read for Today's Church. See that God truley is the same ... yesterday, today and forever; and that His Word is as valid today as it was when it was inspired, and that like God, the Word hasn't changed either.

Dr. Booker, in a very clear and concise manner,
sounds the alarm to the people of G-d
...Messiah is returning for His people, a
holy people, a spotless bride, unencumbered
by the traditions of man, faithful
only to Him. I encourage all believers
to prayerfully read and be challenged
by this 'now' word for the Body of
Messiah.

This book is not a new premise in doctrine, supported by scripture, but instead teaches scriptural precepts that give us doctrine to live by.

Cloaked in the Christian Churches is "Liberty in Christ", defined as we are "free from the law" of sin and death, that the Sabbath has been done away with, that the dietary laws have been rescinded, etc, etc. This book scripturally defines true christian liberty - that we have the power through the Ruach Hakodesh, Holy Spirit, to live holy live's as G-d has commanded us to do - to keep the Sabbath day, to eat kosher, to be holy as G-d has called us to be holy.

G-d has given us commandments, and he has not left us powerless to fulfill them. If your are serious about living a holy life as directed by G-d, then I encourage you to immerse yourself in this book along with the scriptures, and true "Christian Liberty" will begin to awaken your soul to be like the Messiah, and not a cookie cutter Christian.

This author takes you from Scripture to Scripture, backing up everything he says with the Word of God. The question is not do you believe what the author is saying; the question is do you believe what the Scriptures are saying?

"...delightfully innovative format..., cleverly conceived book..., beautifully detailed illustrations..." says the Galveston Daily News (July 20, 2008) about Janice Law's captivating foray into historical fiction for children (and adults) set in Washington, D.C.

When the night magic transforms statutes inside the U.S. Capitol into the famous personalities they were in life, Capitol Cat and her lovable partner Watch Dog recruit them as a secret Nighttime Congress to lobby for the reunion of the two Lady Freedom statutes -- American symbols who have been separated for more than 145 years.

Capitol Cat & Watch Dog entertains children and adults about our Capitol's history, while illustrating the joys of friendship and cooperation to achieve a positive contemporary goal. Law's lively romp includes poetry, magic and silly rhymes.

You will love this enchanting book. Oh, yes, don't forget to let your children read it!!!

Like the movie, "A Night at the Museum," where the exhibits and creatures come alive at night, this clever and delightful paperback is a fantasy of the imaginary romp of the statuary in the corridors and storage rooms of the Capitol. In the wee hours of the morning a perky feline, Capitol Cat, presides over the imaginary House of Representatives, and a serious mutt, Watchdog, reigns over the Senate.
Dog, cat, and imaginary living and breathing statuary in the dead of night unite on a common project of bringing a plaster statue of a symbolic Lady of Freedom to a prominent position in the Capitol corridors beneath a skylight so she can see her twin sister, a bronze Lady Freedom that is on top of the Capitol.
Other statues of famous people from humorist Will Rogers to President Dwight Eisenhower contributed by the states also come alive at night.
Author Law hopes that mention of some of the Capitol jargon--gavel, committees, joint session, etc.--will prove to have educational value for the reader. The book seems targeted for the eight-year-old, with a vocabulary for a 12-year-old. Law selects some words from the text for the student to look up. Full-page drawings throughout the book by Jason Eckhardt are first class.

Comment by Hiley Ward--former editor of "Kidbits," "Sunday Pix,"s and "Bible Adventures for Juniors"

Janice Law's delightful book "CAPITOL CAT & WATCH DOG Unite Lady Freedoms", provides a wonderful opportunity for a parent , grandparent or teacher to read to a child. It is not only entertaining but will provide valuable information about many key aspects of civics and our American government and some of our important elected leaders. I look forward to reading this fine book to my grandchildren. In fact, I really enjoyed it myself. The excellent illustrations by Jason Eckhardt blended with and helped enliven Janice Law's clear and creative narrative. I wish I had had this book in my gradeschool library many years ago. Peter Olsson M.D.

History leaps to life in this delightful book about a cat and his pals who manage to involve the branches of the U.S. government in the cause of helping two twin Lady Liberty statues reunite. Janice Law's clever, playful tale of statues inside the Capitol coming to life will make your child giggle while he or she learns a lot about our nation's governing structure, as well as the value of friendship and helpfulness.

A Caribbean Journey from A to Y (Read and Discover What Happened to the Z) is an ABC picturebook that leads the reader through the Caribbean islands as well as through the alphabet. From Aruba to Trinidad and alligator to yam, A Caribbean Journey from A to Y is filled with fun facts about life, cuisine, fun, and culture in island nations! "What words begin with Z? Zoo begins with Z, but we'd rather use it for zebra. We don't have zebras in the Caribbean (except at the zoo), but that doesn't matter. We will take our Z to Africa, where zebras are really from, and where they still run free." Simple, color illustrations in the style of a child's drawing enliven this wonderfully educational picturebook.

This is an alphabet book for children like no other. The words, carefully chosen, educate children in a way that is not just fun, but entertaining as well. The illustrations jump off the page and makes this book a journey like no other. Surprising, as you can tell from the title, is how Z is used at the end. This book is filled with suspense, history, knowledge and fun. This is a great book to read aloud, in a classroom, on the plane, etc. As a father, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for more than an alphabet book, but a book that will leave the reader wanting to learn more about the caribbean islands and a better understanding about how the caribbean came to be.

This is a wonderful book filled with bright and beautiful illustrations and provides great information about the caribbean islands and their abundance of unique flora and fauna. The story is entertaining and easy to read, with a great discovery in what happened to the Z. I read this book to my son even though he is only 2 and he loves trying to find all the items listed on the page, provides fun and education. A rare find! A one of a kind ABC book!!

Mario Picayo's A Caribbean Journey from A to Y creates a sincere, helpful template for readers as they navigate the Caribbean Islands using the alphabet as their guide from letters A to Y (leaving the reader in suspense wondering where the Z has gone to). Each letter serves as a looking glass into Caribbean culture by representing its rich vegetation, diverse array of animals, and, most importantly the great people that inhabit these islands. While the alphabet guides the reader, Earleen Griswold's illustrations supplement the text with their lush, vivid colors that are diverse as the Caribbean itself. Bright hues of vibrant blues skies, colorful fish, and hot orange suns catch the eyes as well as the imagination. The story supplies the reader with factual and historical insight in addition to instilling a sense of great pride by uniting the Caribbean Islands by way of highlighting their origins to their African roots. I highly recommend this book especially for reading to children. The striking illustrations and enriching text are perfect for showing the little ones. A great read for children and grown-ups alike.

I collect carousel material and do glass painting and polymer clay.this book is such an inspiration.Its one of the best to just have and try out techniques before making that color choice on the real thing.B.W.

Based on the reviews here, I bought this for my niece's birthday. She loved it so much she has carried it around with her for weeks. And she will not share it with her sister, so I am buying another one for her sister for Christmas.

This is a must-have for carousel enthusiasts(sp?)!The drawings are large and easy to see,and kids will spend a while coloring the pictures!

Carousel collectors and children who love to color will appreciate the attention to detail and beautiful blackline illustrations of this book. Many styles are represented, presentation is accurate and merry-go-rounds are always a favorite. Sure to be a best-seller in museums, bookstores, and amusement sites. Not limited to ponies, the book contains other creatures as well -- I particularly liked the tiger! I also liked the create-a-pony page, where young artists may add their own details to the drawing. Price is within even a limited budget.