Barton Books

Ah, Baby Duck. At last we meet again. You might wonder why I continue to read "Baby Duck" books when they have, in the past, struck me as insipid or downright dull. But the fact of the matter is that the New York Public Library system adores Baby Duck. They can't get enough of her. In fact, if you go online right now and go to their "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know", I'll bet you anything in the world that there's a Baby Duck title somewhere on the list. And since I have sworn to read and review each and every one of the books that appear on that list, I am bound to read books like "Off To School, Baby Duck". Now admittedly, this book is heads and tails better than "You're the Boss, Baby Duck". It deals with the very real concerns children face when beginning school for the first time. However, there is no denying that the book is not exactly on par with works by Rosemary Wells or Maurice Sendak. Though a nice enough title, "Off To School, Baby Duck" is, at its heart, mildly insipid.

Baby Duck has a problem. A problem by the name of "school". Finally old enough to go to Kindergarten for the very first time, Baby Duck isn't exactly pleased with the prospect. Though her parents try to cajole her in a variety of different ways, Baby is fairly certain that school is a mighty frightening prospect. On the day in question, she dresses slowly and drags herself with her parents to the school house. Once outside, she meets up with Grampa. Ever a fount of wisdom Grampa slowly shows Baby Duck that school can be fun. She meets her new teacher, Miss Posy, who isn't mean at all. She makes a new friend in a boy named Davy Duck. And by the time it's time for school, Baby may still be nervous, but she knows that school can be a really fun time if she's ready for it.

Though I've never been a huge fan of Jill Barton's illustrations, she does a particularly nice job in this book. Barton has somehow found a way to draw an outdoor landscape that reflects that odd time of the year known as September. In this book, the leaves on the trees are green with tinges of brown and gold. Baby duck wears a button up sweater appropriate for late summer/early fall temperatures. It's hard to fault Barton's pictures here. When Baby is nervous, you have a lovely picture of her clutching Grampa's arm, half-hiding her face there in nervousness. Of course, I've always found it mildly disturbing that all the ducks in Baby's world look identical. They just sport different sets of clothing so that you can tell them apart. Erg.

And then there's that old problem with the Baby Duck books that inevitably raises its ugly head at some point in the story. Baby Duck is forever singing songs that express her mood. The problem is, these songs never rhyme or scan. I'm a huge fan of Hoban's, "Bread and Jam For Frances", which also deals with a toddler singing. The difference is, Frances's songs are great. Baby Duck? Not so much. To Amy Hest I offer this plea: How hard can it be to write a charming rhyming jingle in a picture book???? Okay, maybe we're supposed to believe that Baby Duck's songs are akin to the songs sung by children in her age range. Songs that little kids make up that never seem to have any cohesion to them. Well, who cares? Doesn't Ms. Hest know that it's incredibly difficult to read a book out loud to large groups of preschoolers if you can find a rhythm with which to read them a song or verse?

Ah well. Perhaps I ask too much of these books. "Baby Duck" titles are inevitably less interesting than those written by people like Kevin Henkes (if you want an alternative going to school theme, try his fabulous "Wemberly Worried") or the aforementioned Rosemary Wells. In any case, of the Baby Duck books I've already seen, this one is better than most. Just don't expect anything brilliantly original.

Like Hest's other books, this is a crowd pleaser. I just got done using this in our first August storytime and it was very well received by the 3s-6s. I heard lots of giggles because some of the dialogue is so dead-on accurate. I recommend this to all those parents with a tentative child about to enter the halls of learning.

Each of the four poets in this collection display an intense sense of place both within landscape and within the relationships they write about. Their use of imagery to convey emotion is exceptional and invigorating. These are not occasional poems about landscape or love, but deeply moving constructs that are apt to make the reader reflect more deeply on their own relationships to the world and themselves.

Each of the four poets in this collection display an intense sense of place both within landscape and within the relationships they write about. Their use of imagery to convey emotion is exceptional and invigorating. These are not occasional poems about landscape or love, but deeply moving constructs that are apt to make the reader reflect more deeply on their own relationships to the world and themselves.

I thought Penny Sue Got Lucky was a wonderful light hearted mystery. The dog is indearing and Penny Sue and Vic make a fun couple, even if they both start out disliking each other. This book is more of a light mystery than a clock and dagger. Sometimes I just want something light instead of blood and guts.
I have always enjoyed Beverly Bartons books. I can truly say that I think this was one of her best in the Protectors series, but Iam a sucker for animals especially dogs. This dog's a cutie.

Cute book. Not my all time favorite Beverly Barton book but a good quick read.

Guarding Jeannie: 3 stars. 6 years ago Sam Dundee, after being shot and thrown off a boat after an op goes bad, is washed ashore on a small island. There a young woman, Jeannie, who is empathic, saves his life. Now Jeannie needs Sam's help when a zealous and insane minister and his followers threaten her life. While Sam could have sent any of the agents from his protection agency he goes himself since he owes his life to her. Jeannie constantly put herself in public situations which put everyone else at risk, not smart. This book had a good plot but it was lost in the love story which was too sickening sweet. Plus I sure wouldn't want anyone inside my mind, that's just creepy! Also, how many houses on a small island in the south have basements?

Blackwood's Woman: 5 stars J.T. Blackwood returns to his home in New Mexico to recover from a mission that cost him an eye. Joanna Belmont has moved there after a brutal rape. When the two come together it's eerily similar to a long ago romance between J.T.'s great-grandfather and Joanna's great-grandmother down to the matching silver and turquoise rings, although they both fight it. When Joanna's rapist returns J.T. does everything he can to keep her safe. The story from her great-grandmother's diary tells of a love that surpassed time. This is just a great book!

Roarke's Wife: 4 stars Cleo McNamara needs a husband and child within a year in order to save her family business and her heritage. She also needs a bodyguard and Simon Roarke is willing to supply all three. But while fighting the problems and threats on her life Simon starts to wonder how much he'll be giving up once all three are fulfilled and he has to walk away.

**Most of Beverly Barton's books are set in the South. But the only thing she uses that is particular to Southern "language" is y'all which she sometimes uses to refer to as few as two people. Every part of the country has its own way of speaking. In Ohio we add "at" to everything. Ex: "Where's that dog at?" Southerner's tend to drop their g's. Ex. "What do you think you're doin?" and/or drawl things out. In Ohio we talk fast & in different parts of the state the way of speaking varies. In Ms. Barton's books every Southerner no matter what state, from the mountain people to business execs talk the same. I lived in the South for several years and my husband's family still lives there. You can't spend much time there without developing an accent. This is something that I find jarring in all of these books. The strangest part is Ms. Barton lives in the South.

The first book deals with a woman with psychic abilities. She saves a man's life and 6 years later needs his skills as a bodyguard to protect her from an insane preacher. I found it to be a touching story but a little too "otherworldly" for my tastes.
The second book deals with a woman who moved to the Blackwood ranch in New Mexico to recover from a brutal rape. 4 years later she is still there and meets J.T., the owner of the ranch who she feels a deep connection to. When her rapist escapes prison she finds herself in need of a bodyguard and J.T. (a former Agent turned bodyguard) takes the job. This book was my favorite- both characters were well developed and their internal demons formed some complicated issues.
The third book deals with a woman who is in need of a husband and bodyguard. Her uncle died, leaving her the family business but only if she marries and has a child within a year. But someone in her family has decided she should sell and has tried to kill her. Simon Roarke takes her hand in matrimony and becomes her husband and bodyguard. He needs the million dollars she offered to take care of his insane ex-wife. They both find their attraction growing into something more but will they be able to battle their fears and a killer? This book was good- there was just enough romance and action to keep me interested. The family was a little too much but had interesting personalities.

You wouldn't expect it from Prelutsky's better know works, but this book is really creepy! The grey illustrations really enhance the effect. I'm told that I loved it before I was old enough to understand the words, so parents searched high and low for a copy. When they finally got a hold of this library edition (pre-internet) the poems scared me. Now i love it again - especially the snopp - poor lonely snopp - and the wozzit in the closet (it's eaten mother's dress!!)!

"At first I thought, "I'll touch it,"/and then I thought, "I won't,"/and when again I thought, "I will,"/the snopp said softly, "Don't."" These amusing and lyrical rhymes of imaginary creatures such as the snopp (who looks a mop), the gibble, the monumental meath, and many others will keep children and their adults giggling and wanting more. Lots of new words are made up along the way (read Flonster Poem to discover more about flimes, floobers, flummies and fleemies) which children will enjoy tremendously. The monochromatic illustrations of some most unusual creatures wearing human garb help tell the poem's stories as well as spark young reader's imaginations. Twelve poems in all, of various lengths to suit many time lines. A fun introduction to poetry to read aloud to very young children or for older children to read on their own.

Beginnings, endings, murder, sex, adultery, treachery. The Bible is full of it all. Our Christian history. The Thompson Student Bible is a very readable, easy to use more youthful addition of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible. This bible has 45 portraits of such bible greats as Moses, Job, John the Baptist, Miriam and more linking their accomplishments with the verses where they are found. Study aids that give background information and history on the Bible, a list of fulfilled prophecies concerning Jesus Christ, charts on Bible People, and maps. This bible is one of the most complete I have seen. There is a condensed outline of the Bible that is very useful as it describes the main theme and focus of each book. I really like how this Bible gives the key people, theme, and lessons of each and every book in the Bible. This Bible will definetly be a large part of my Bible Study from now on.

Beginnings, endings, murder, sex, adultery, treachery. The Bible is full of it all. Our Christian history. The Thompson Student Bible is a very readable, easy to use more youthful addition of the Thompson Chain Reference Bible. This bible has 45 portraits of such bible greats as Moses, Job, John the Baptist, Miriam and more linking their accomplishments with the verses where they are found. Study aids that give background information and history on the Bible, a list of fulfilled prophecies concerning Jesus Christ, charts on Bible People, and maps. This bible is one of the most complete I have seen.

Forced out of his home after a heavy snowfall in North Central Idaho by his sick dog, Herb Schultz notices his neighbor's cow is bawling in the barn. His neighbor, Eugene Pettijohn, is well set in his ways and based on the snow around the barn and the absence of any tracks, hasn't milked the cow or tended to her upset calf. After taking care of both animals briefly, he wades through the deep snow to the front door of the house. He peers in as the door is open and sees Eugene, sitting near his table and staring sightlessly through the open doorway, dead of a bullet hole in the chest.

After further helping the animals in the barn, Herb makes his way back home to help his dog and her litter of pups. After that he calls the vet, Dr. Erica Merrill, to get medical help for the animals on both properties and then finally calls the Sheriff before going back to Eugene's place to wait for him.

Dr. Erica Merrill lives and runs her clinic out of her Mother's home, which is surrounded by ranchland owned and operated by other members of her family. Herb has a well-earned reputation for not being able to pay his bills and the last thing Erica wants to do is to add another bill to his account. But, he tells her about the Eugene's death and the dog does need help so she packs her gear and heads out to Herb's place.

After treating the dog she eventually discovers that Herb has been arrested for First Degree Murder, even though he insists strongly that he didn't do it. Because Herb put living animals ahead of the deceased, has a weapon similar to what must have been used to fire the fatal shot, a history of not liking or getting along with the deceased and a well known penchant for getting drunk, District Attorney Kline has had him arrested. If that wasn't enough evidence for Erica who questions the wisdom of arresting Herbert as well as the intellect of the DA, there is a set of tracks leading back and forth from Schultz's place making it clear to the DA that Herb killed. He does not accept any other explanation than his own and before long the absurdity of the situation begins to bug Erica and she publicizes her feelings about the case. Her reputation begins to suffer in the local community as does her struggling practice and with a DA convinced he has his man, Erica sees no choice but to start asking questions and investigate the case herself.

This interesting cozy style murder mystery features an incredibly large cast of characters, which at times threatens to bog down the reader. With so many relations by blood or marriage as well as numerous other characters involved, it sometimes becomes difficult to keep track of what is going on without a multi page flow chart.

At the same time, the case is interesting and the author does keep the reader involved as the book slowly moves forward. Vivid descriptions of setting and background information build upon the complexity of the work and make this novel overall, worth reading.

I enjoyed reading Till Hell Freezes over and recommend it to persons who like mysteries and who also enjoy books about the west, plus enjoy reading about veterinary work. The main female character is a veterinarian and we get a nice peek inside her daily practice, all the joys and frustrations, then the tidy mystery is added to that.

Good descriptions of the landscape and weather in Idaho takes you there with no problem.

Professor Barton has written an extremely readable book on a very imporotant topic, knowledge creation. Now a days, knowledge has become a buzz word in alomost every sphere of economic activities. But what does it mean? What does it take to create knowldege? This book addresses such questions. Barton has done important research on the subject and has produced the book with some new concepts that are extremely important in management. Her idea of "core rigidity" is indeed something every senior executive should think about.

This book would serve both seasoned knowledge practioners and those new to the field equally well. The writing is clear and crisp, and the content is well organized. I highly recommend this book for anyone charged with implementing knowledge strategies or at all interested in the topic.

[....] it's worth a few $ to own a little piece of this action. A year after his lawyer wife was killed in a car accident, a burglary in his house makes New Orleans film reviewer Mike Barnett wonder whether her death was really accidental. Eventually, (all too slowly - hence the deduction of one star) he gets to understand that her death was no accident and that it was all linked to a real estate deal which his wife fought against. Much of the 'action' takes place in extended flashback, and too much time is lost reading about Mike Barnett's endless (liberal) film reviews (hence the deuction of a second star). However, the eventual answers reveal much about racial politics and Big Easy corruption, and the book is a compelling read nonetheless.

My girlfriend left a copy of Barton's The El Cholo Feeling behind with a bunch of other clutter, and it wasn't until a hard rainy day last month that I sampled it. Happily,I couldn't put El Cholo down; now, subsequently, I've finished Barton's exciting quartet of novels back-to-back, and they each get better. Extreme Prejudice(now aka, Black and White On The Rocks), his third, is my favorite. (He just won the Faulkner Award for House Divided, his fourth.) I find myself returning to E.P. - not only for a daily dose of Barton's succintly efficient prose, but also for his progressive southern maleness, including his outstanding movie reviews, each critical to the paradox capturing his protagonist. Reviews included critque Mississippi Burning and Do The Right Thing, both superior to what you might have gotten from Denby,The NYT, or others. Thus, you may accept this review as my five-star rebuttal of the previous reviewer, who missed the point of this southerner's agony with current southern events, as his personal and social life crash dramatically. Once I, too, married and lost a fine New Orleans woman,and my experience tells me that the professor knows something about southern sex, as well. I say, buy Barton's books and buy them new at full price, as we need to keep him writing. Read Frederick Barton and you will be hooked; you'll get your money's worth, and,even better, you'll never return to Grisham.

Es un libro de facil lectura para ayudar a los pequeños con algunas inquietudes que se les presentan acerca del Cielo, Dios. Los Angeles, lo bueno, lo malo. Se apoya en versiculos de la Biblia. Con explicaciones sencillas ayuda a que los padres podamos extendernos un poco en estos temas. Mi hija pregunto: Quien escribio este libro?, que sabe mucho sobre los Angeles. Esta lindo