Big Books

Ratha's creature opens up a whole new world of cats. Long before the Warrior cat series, lived Ratha and her tribe. This book is full of adventure and suspense for any age. I couldn't put it down. Make sure to buy this one first and while you are at it, order the other three so you won't have to stop in the middle of this great adventure. If you love the Warrior Series you will love Ratha's Creature!

The Named Series is a collection that has survived in the hearts of readers for decades, inspiring fanart, fanfiction, and more. Here is the book that started it all - Ratha's Creature, an epic, memorable tale of strife, forgiveness, and triumph. This novel resurrects an ancient world and delivers in full detail, the savage brutality endured by those of arcane laws, a code of claws and fangs - while thrusting into harsh, honest light, what it means to question and discover the meaning of 'Self Awareness'.
Lion King worshipers, Warriors devotees, Animal enthusiasts - you have not stalked the feline path, until you have unearthed these treasures.

For more information, copy and paste the following links:

Clare Bell's official domain:
www.rathascourage.com
For an exclusive look including fanart, fanfiction, and more visit Trails Of Conquest:
www.trailsofconquest.webs.com
For Named (Ratha) Series Cat Role Play (rp) stop by Into The Mist:
www.intothemistrp.webs.com

I am a huge cat fan and I can't believe that this book has existed for so long without my knowledge! I loved it from the very beginning and the story drew me in. I quickly ordered the other books to read. Any adventure or cat fan should read this book. If you do not love cats or do not have a fasination with animals you will soon. The book, while fictional is very realisitic and the characters are very wild and "animal-like." I cannot wait to read more. I genuinely feel the loss of one character in particular...sigh. Read this book! It is a great escape. Welcome to Ratha's world.

I never write reviews, but Ratha's Creature is the exception. I came upon this book as a 7th grader back in the early 90's and it was out of print even then. This book is fantastic, with it's prehistoric world and it's memorable characters. I am thrilled to see it released again so children can have the same experience that I had at their age in reading this wonderful story. This is a must read! In a world where the Harry Potter series is over and kids are left wondering what to read next, this one is a fun series and you will not regret your time in reading it, only regret that there is not more. Read it, you won't be sorry.

I have read many feline fantasies,but none of them touch this one.It is better than the Warriors books,and I think that older Warriors fans will love this book.The harsh landscape and the complicated,realistic characters are wonderful!A word of warning,though:this is not a cutsey kitty book.Ratha's Creature is a very deep,allegorical,and thought provoking book.Some of the raw,savage images(mating,wounding a cub,death by fire)may be too much for younger,sensitive readers.I would reccomend this book for mature teens who will be able to understand and enjoy this magnificent,powerful book.Well done,Clare Bell!!

This is a great book about following your own dreams, dancing to your own tune, believing in what drives you, all done in a really engaging book. The marker drawings are great--I love how you can see the marker lines. It's humorous and wonderful and wild. Share it with your kids!

I'm an elementary school art teacher and I use this book every year! I love Pinkwater- he's so fabulously wacky and this story doesn't disappoint. I have my kiddos draw pictures of the house of their dreams, too. We have princess houses and underwater houses and candy/ice cream houses- it's great fun!

My 4 yo son enjoys this book and I enjoy its message. Essentially, that message is "Be yourself. Don't conform just because other people want you to." The story is fun and the illustrations are whimsical. I look forward to purchasing more books by Pinkwater.

A wonderful story about a man who decides to not fit in, and in so doing changes his "neat street" to a creative and colorful street. I'd recommend this story to absolutely any 4-7 year old.
The only problem is that this edition is printed on paper that is way too thin, so that you can see the pictures from the next page through the paper! Shame.

I enjoyed this story because it is a metaphor of expressing individuality while allowing others the freedom of self expression. The story has Mr Plumbean have an'ah-ha' moment of personal enlightenment. He is able to remind others of their own ability for self expression while causing no harm to others.
A pleasant little story that can be used to allow others, ie children, to explore their own creativity of self expression.
I bought this for my children when it was first released, my recent purchase is to use as a theraputic tool.

Scholastic put out a tape many years ago with this book being read to music. It is the most fabulous addition to this book. I've seen 3-5 year olds with special needs who won't sit for anything, perk up and take interest when this book is read along with the tape. Unfortunately you can't really find it anymore. If you do come across it, GET IT!

This is my very favorite story to read at Halloween. I read this story to my preschool class every year. The children love the pictures and the repetition. After a few pages they will begin to recite the verse "Drat" along with the characters. I ordered several copies so I could put it in the listening center. I also have the cassette tape to play along with the story.

This book is one of my favorite of all time! It takes Halloween characters and makes them fun. The story is all about working together toward a common goal-making pumpkin pie. This story can be acted out with preschool students. It also has an audiotape that you can't miss with! Even my students with short attention spans pay attention and participate with this one. When we are done reading it for the week, we make pumpkin pie. A great ending to a fun week!

This is a great book for kids 3-5 my kids loved it thought the pictures were wonderful and a good non-scary alternative for halloween stories.

Big Pumpkin is so Big in our house, it's read all the time...Oh and our son loves it too!

Once my son (4 years old) discovered and fell in love with Big Pumpkin it didn't matter if it was Halloween or not. The story is nothing short of hilarious, the illustrations could not be better suited and truly compliment this book where so many others fall short. My husband and I get such a kick out of reading this book as well, we practically know it by heart and have been known to recite it in jest around the house. One of my favorite things about this book is that it introduces the so-called "scary" characters of Halloween, the Ghost, the Vampire, the Mummy, the Bat, and the Witch in the most loveable manner with such simple and innocent humor that it completely removes any possible thought of "scary" for our little ones. Big Pumpkin can make you befriend a Witch, want to help out a Vampire, and just love your "Mummy"! Don't wait until Halloween, buy it now, it's too cute to pass up.

Stacy Julian has set me free from scrapbooking chronilogically
and feeling behind. Scrapbooking can now be the hobby
I always wanted it to be, filled with joy and not feeling
guilty like I am "behind in my work"!
I wish I had this book 5 years ago, I highly recommend
this book whether you are new to this hobby or
a seasoned expert. It will change how you view your
photos and albums. Bravo Stacy!!

I've been scrapbooking for about a year and own four books on the subject. I use this one by Stacy Julian the most because it contains more variety and more ideas outlined in an unfussy style.

Years ago all my photos were just thrown in a box and now, thanks to The Big Picture, they are organized so the whole family can enjoy them and the collection and storytelling just keeps growing. I also used to collect paper, so scrapbooking for me was a no brainer.

They will make nice keepsakes and carry on the family geneology.

This is a revolutionary approach to scrapbooking. No longer do you need to be worried about being caught up. Instead, you can concentrate on the story of your life and your family. This book will change your life!

I loved the book, the aproach, the ideas. I liked it very much and recomend it for someone who wants to start to scrapbook.

Stacy Julian has a novel approach to scrapbooking--it does not have to be chronological, and you do not have to scrapbook every picture you have ever taken. Instead, you should scrapbook what is meaningful to you, and tells your story or the story of your family. One suggested project is a scrapbook that is a journal with pictures of just one month in your family's life. Stacy reminded me that "the big picture" of scrapbooking is meant to be fun.

This guide gave our vacation itinerary a real boost. It has wonderful timeless images of places and people which simply exude calm, chill, beach culture latitude attitudes.

Photography is top notch and the information is partioned into sections so you can chew off each piece to explore at your leisure depending on how much time you've allowed for your vacation. Trailblazers do it good.

Lots of detailed info, good maps, great pics, best directions and extremely well laid out for picking out all the cool places everywhere on the island. We lucked out and got to see lava flowing down the mountain near the volcano. For driving directions and staying out of danger, it's full of dos and don'ts.

This was this best thing we took with us on our honeymoon. It's so well organized and we used it as a tool to plan our daily escapades. I highly recommend this book for travelers who haven't been before and are looking for ideas and advice from authors who tell it like it is.

Two years ago we took a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. Unfortunately we were in port too short a time and only went on a few packaged bus tours. We returned to the island we liked the best (the Big Island) last month and fortunately had the Trailblazer along as our prime guide. We hiked to and swam in the Blue Lagoon which is on the cover: the highpoint of our vacation.

In the back of the book are hotel and restaurant suggestions from which we made our reservations and were quite pleased. For accuracy and good practical advice it's right on target.

Great book, I bought it after having figured out which islands to visit using the book by the same authors, no worries Hawaii, which is a must buy if you don't know where to go and what you want to do. Following input from the first book we picked 1 day Honlolu, 5 days big Island and 9 days Kauai.
The big island trailblazer is unique in that the information on trailheads and how to find them is really really accurate, if you have to follow a dirt road for 2 miles and then stop next to a hidden bridge then that information is there. You rarely spend hours searching for stuff, the detail on where to look for something once you get to the end of the trail is less good, but that is because in the islands appear not to go in for signposts in a big way, so we were often looking at something and wondering whether or not this is it. Best ofs were generally good, didn't understand focus on Hilo, we went there on a Sunday and it felt like a run down sad little town, but maybe on a weekday there is a different vibe. The only negative is that restaurants mentioned a little more information on them to help you chose would help unless you like the sticky table-top ketchup bottle and drip coffee atmosphere and generic grub, this is fine if it is what you want, but you don't need a guidebook to discover such places, of course to be fair the book doesn't target the foodie population nevertheless a little more selectivity would help though or just a little more text on the restaurants. From personal experience if you are staying in Kapaa on Big Island try the restaurant Rapanui, a small hole in the wall joint run by a saturnine chef from New Zealand and his partner, its location is not attractive (in a mall when you enter Kapaa on the coastal road from the north on the left after the bend in the first mall), and it is BYOB but the food is really, really well cooked, from a European stand point, fresh, flavourful, beef melts in your mouth, rice/coconut nuttily satisfying, great, cooked but crunchy veggies, freshly made sauces, not a bottle or deep fryer in sight. Another great place to eat is Jays on the road towards southpoint, before the turn-off to Puuhoonuau (I forget the spelling) national park, two step snorkeling and the painted church from Kappaa, it is described in the guidebook, really spectacular and don't be put off by the appearance of the kitchen/living area. Oh and for sandwiches, a satisfying stop is Choicemart on the Highway 19 approximately in the area of the Manago Hotel, Choicemart is on the left, there is a great Vegan Cafe next to Choicemart and the sandwiches sold there and in Choicemart are spectacular. The locals recommend Choicemarts plate lunch especially on Lau Lau Friday. We tried to get it on Sat and it was all sold out. And the snorkeling at two step was the best we had on the island. Ok after all that digressing: if it is culture/food you are after then you need an additional book or to do some food research ahead of time online, for hiking, biking, walking and general reliable information then the trailblazer is a great book. Another option is to get the No worries Hawaii that has almost all information on all islands best ofs etc and then supplement that with a more foodie cultural guide for the islands depending on what you want. We did this for Kauai, although Fodors Kauai while better on culture etc really did badly for hiking and trails and was way less reliable than the Sprouts books.

YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. We have traveled to the big island many times, but still have not discovered or seen everything. This book reaches beyond of the general guide books and one of the other more popular reads about the island. Great for those who are into hiking and especailly for driving tours. Snorkelers will like some of the off the beaten path places to go.

I have read many books on combat in Vietnam, but not one compares to Low Level Hell. Hugh Mills writes much like he talks -- with a rare combination of wit and wisdom that makes you want to say "tell me more!" I eagerly await his next book.

I was a Crew Chief on an OH-6A and sat behind my pilot each and every time the aircraft left the ground. We flew many a mission for Captain Mills and you will not find a truer account of the life of an Aero Scout Pilot and his Crew Chief as you will in his book Low Level Hell. He was there, we were there, and when you read the book YOU will be there! An excellent account of what we went through in Vietnam.

Very, very good book. Gave me a good idea as to what my father might have went through as a scout pilot flying the OH-6 with the 2/11th A.C.R. Blackhorse in Vietnam.

I recently read Low Level Hell, and I want to say it was one of the best books I've ever read!! Hugh does a great job of captivating the reader from the first chapter to the very end. Every chapter has you on the edge of your seat, taking you through the drama of fighting in Vietnam. I honestly felt as if I was flying with him! At times I was howling in laughter and others crying at the loss of fellow officers. Hugh's last chapter sent chills down my spine. I honestly cannot think of a better read on one man's experience in Vietnam. Great job Hugh!

Angie Chirnside

absolutely a must read if you love flying helicpoters and enjoy the action of combat flying in the nam....could not put it down...scout pilot flying in vietnam had to be the most intense and insane mission that one could imagine...loved every minute of this read.

My daughter, Chloe, loves this book, and so do I. We have fun reading it together. She brings it up all the time. She will be hanging upside down off of the couch and she will say "Silly Chloe went to town, walking backwards upside down!" Silly Sally gets an A+ in my book!

My 5 year old loves this book. She has it memorized and "reads" it to us over and over again. It's very cute, building on the page before. The illustrations are great and silly and there is a definite resolution. A must read for all.

Great book as it plays on the the silly humor that we all share. Simple story line with colorful illustrations that my 3 year old could relate to. I sent this book to my daugher's daycare and her teacher commented how the other children loved the story too. That really made my day. Its a great book to make kids laugh.

I bought this book for my daughter after reading the reviews on amazon. She absolutely loves the book and has memorized the book from front to back. At 2.5 years old, she can repeat the text in the book word for word when I read it to her.

An entertaining and great book for little girls. I am glad that I bought it for my daughter..

Can Audrey and Don Woods go wrong? I have not seen a single book by this pair that I haven't liked. I love the illustrations as usual, but I really love the meter of the text and the way it is combined and placed with the illustrations. It has a very musical quality and really lends itself to being read aloud. I have it almost memorized after only a few readings. I think I probably like to read it more than my daughter :-)

I bought this book for my godchild and it is perfect for a beginner reader! The pages are extremely colorful and eye-catching and the sentences are easy for him to understand. This is a perfect book for a child to start learning about the Bible.

This book is OUTSTANDING!! When I read it to my preschool class, they begged me to read "Just one more chapter!" each day! It really does an excellent job of telling God's Story of the WHOLE Bible, connecting the individual stories from Genesis to Revelation, even including the time of
waiting for the Messiah between the Old and New Testaments. The pictures are beautiful and colorful, showing the people from God's point of view. The text is written to carefully follow the Bible and is VERY child friendly - it has just enough text to go with each illustration. This book is great for children of any age AND the adults that read it to them!!

I have been reading this a couple pages each day to my toddler. I think the illustrations and the story line give a wonderful picture of how awesome our God is truly is. The book is a beautiful book and I'll probably read it repeatedly with my children.

I learned about this bible from my daughter, a preschool teacher at a Christian Day Care. She uses it for three year olds. It ties the old and new testaments together with all the stories they love, with a glimpse of God's plan from the beginning of a "Forever King". This is not a story-at-a time, but a book with a plan. Excellent, and can be used through Elementary. I've purchased four, one for a newborn-parents in vocational ministry and one for our Worship leaders two year old for Easter.

Have your children ever begged for more Bible stories instead of food? Have you ever read 160 pages to attentive toddlers in one sitting? And then have them ask for more? I certainly hadn't -- until I got this book.

The Big Picture Story Bible is unlike any other Bible story book I've seen. Rather than telling the familiar stories in the familiar patterns, this book instills in children a unified theme through both the Old and New Testaments. Author David Helm makes the common thread clear by emphasizing in each chapter how these true stories show God's love for the world and the fulfillment of His promises.

This is a big story in a big book. It measures about 10" square and contains 456 pages. Broken into 26 manageable chapters, the book begins with creation (Genesis) and ends with the Apostle Paul's vision of the new heavens and new earth (Revelation). Gail Schoonmaker serves as illustrator. She fills the book with big pictures, both colorful and unique.

What I Like: I love how my kids can't get enough of this book! We read 9 chapters (156 pages) yesterday, and they cried when I said it was time to stop. The chapter breaks offer easy "intermissions". The theme is clear! The text is perfectly toddler and preschooler friendly. I appreciate the use of repetition and the insistence on truth.

Some have complained that not all the best-known Bible stories are included; other stories do not provide all the details. This is not a Bible where you can look up favorite stories, but this is key to the point of the book: the Bible is more than just a collection of great stories; it is one big story consisting of several parts. Often children fail to see the connection between all the stories; they miss how God and His love for us strings the stories together to make sense of it all.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Tanya -- Christian Children's Book Review

This was a good read, full of helpful info and contacts. A bit lengthy but other than that is was cool.

Has a lot of helpful himts for how to get your music out...

Book arrived so quickly and is in pristine condition, thank you thank you thank you :-D

This is a great book full of contacts and resources where you can get exposure for your band. The majority of the book is a convenient collection of contact info such as email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers and websites. There's also a helpful "how to" tips section. I recommend buying this item.

If you are a independent musician, you can't afford NOT to have this book. This book is incomparable. I have made so many contacts and have been introduced to so many new services and and products. I am currently using to services to help aid in the distribution of my music that I found in the Indie Bible. The money I saved in one month, paid for the Indie Bible. Then you have the contacts. UNBELIEVABLE!!! These contacts are so complete and organized that is hard to imagine how the author did it. It has every radio station that will play your music, plus every written and online publication that will review your music. I will never let an edition slip by me.

I first read "The Lesson of the Chopsticks" and must say that I was not disappointed reading "How to Keep Life's Small Problems from Becoming Big Ones"! Ms.Greenlee's unique view of life's everyday challenges is one we all can identify with on some level.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is in need of a boost to handle procrastination and prioritizing. Ms. Greenlee's uncovers a profound truth using vivid illustrations and metaphors to convey her point and shift us out of our "comfort zone". And, it's a LOT CHEAPER THAN THERAPY!

Finally, a most enjoyable and interesting book filled with practical and useful guidance that can be helpful for every age and every level. Each lesson is deeply meaningful, yet stated so simply. A true Gem!!!

Who knew that paying attention to inanimate objects could be so powerful? In "Paperclips", Ms. Greenlee has humorously and quite consciously given us a roadmap to sorting through the habits we all develop when faced with discomfort. Reading it again and again gives the reader a fresh way of envisioning life's way of offering opportunities to grow.

The idea of the book is good, if you don't take care of the little things when they first appear, they end up snowballing and becoming big things. However, I thought the book would include more to read and digest rather than just drawings of paperclips. OK I get the message now offer some insight on motivation. The message didn't need 109 pages of paperclips to get the message across. One cartoon would have done. It took me all of 5 minutes to "read". Sorry, wanted more for the money.

This charmingly simple book spoke volumes to me about the dangers of a disorganized life, and brought to mind several practical applications. If I don't hang up my clothes every night, my bedroom is soon an unworkable mess. If I don't take care of my mail (and other paperwork) diligently and often, it soon becomes overwhelming, and I can't find that piece of paper I really need. If I don't spot-clean the kitchen and baths (almost) every day, things get disgusting quite quickly, and germs can grow. And the list could go on. It's so refreshing to see a simple, highly useful truth presented in such an engaging way, and I look forward to the next "lesson." Way to go, Gina!