Brown Books

I loved this book as a little girl. My brother and I used to make our older sister read it to us over and over. I'm sad to see it's out of print. Much better than The Littles or other stories about tiny dwellers amongst us.

A friend and I were discussing books that we pick up over and over again throughout our lives and of course I thought of this one. I loved this book so much that my copy is falling apart at the seams. What a wonderful story, so descriptive, and so imaginative. I watched my dollhouse like a hawk for years. Anyone would love this story, my brother even loved it. I wish it were in print so I could get a copy for my god daughter.

I'm a 31 yr old mother of two and need to find this book! I can't tell you how often I have thought about this story. When I was a little girl, I would read it over and over again. A little girl discovers a royal family living in her dollhouse! The book is so descriptive when it comes to explaining all the miniature items the King, Queen, and the Peanut Butter babies used in their everyday life. It's been over 20 years and I have not forgotten about this book! I hope my children can one day read it.

This truly is a wonderful book. Although my son is only 19 months old, I am trying to locate a copy to someday share with him. He might not love it the way I have, but I will enjoy re-reading it with him!

Opening sentence: "'Oh, drat!' said the tiniest voice in the world."

Ellie has a dollhouse in her room, but "The house seems real, and the dolls didn't, so I put them away." She awakens one morning to find new tenants, real ones. King Borra Borra, who stands about 6 inches high, has moved in with the 11 royal babies. The Queen is off on adventures, leaving the homebody King to care happily for the babies. Despite the Queen's wandering ways, the King and Queen have a wonderful relationship, and Ellie is delighted to provide the family's daily fare of peanut butter (for the babies), and raisins and cookies (for the royal couple).

It isn't really a doll story, because these are living beings, albeit tiny ones, and the King has some things to teach Ellie, not only about housekeeping ("I happen to enjoy housekeeping, and I like to see it done well") but also about friendship, change, and how to attend to the needs of others. This is an especially strong story for imaginative daughters, loving fathers, and liberated mothers.

I read this book in two days; I was glued and addicted! Thanks and kudos to the author, not only for her well-written and moving story, but for battling so strongly against that generational sin. Who'd have thought that an aimless hippie in her early days, would prove to be such a stellar warrior! Praise be to God....

This was an important story. It was hard to read because of the horific nature of the abuse. I love to read testimonies about how the Lord changes peoples lives and how even if the circumstances of our lives seem unbearable, He never fails to holds us tight.

Laughter Calls Me totally inspired me. Once I began the book I could not stop reading it. I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. Catherine Brown's testimony of perseverence and endurance in a seemingly hopeless situation encouraged me greatly. There are so many things in this life to be afraid of, especially as a parent for your children. I was afraid of all the scary things that could happen to my kids, but after finishing Laughter Calls Me, I was encouraged to leave all my fears with the God who made us and loves us better than anyone.

Laughter Calls Me is a testimony of the faithfulness of a great and mighty God and His ability to deliver from the clutches of the sickest of sins. Our loving Father carried and guided Catherine through the darkest of darkness. This testimony is even more proof that there is nothing too hard for the Lord. God can reach into the sickest sin and bring beauty from it. As you finish this book you will come away fearing nothing but rather you will stand in awe of the One who is able to save us from all sin - our own and the sin of others.

Laughter Calls Me will change your perspective and it will fix your gaze on the glory of the Lord! Read this book and see what great things He has done. He longs to do great things in your life too!

The author writes well and quickly pulls the reader into the story. And a remarkable story it is. She easily could have died of an overdose while living the free-wheeling hippie life. But due to God's hand on her, her life was spared even when she was pursued by evil. Few have walked where she has in saving her children from their pedophile, pornographic father. She became a responsible, loving mother, devoted Christian and found a good life after her long circuitous searching. Inspirational. Gives hope to any family who has a member they think is hopeless. This book is being studied by our daughter's church in Allentown. A magnificently inspiring testimony.

The horrors of what "Catherine" went through would lead a reader to think that the impact of all this on the rest of her life would have surely been tragic. And except for the interventon of the Lord I am sure that would have been so. But intervene He did and it is so obvious that she have allowed the Lord to do a mighty work of healing in her life. Instead of bitterness flowing from this, there is love and a passion for the purity of truth. There is grace and mercy in what she does now. There is a Scripture in Psalms- Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. That is perfect healing. The Lord has healed her wounds and that is why there is now so much fruit in her life. Oil cannot be released from a jar unless the jar has been "broken." Then the oil can flow and heal others. "Catherine" has told her story in all of its horrid details, sparing her reader nothing. She has been broken and she tells of it. But she has also been healed and that healing gives her readers hope and healing themselves.

One of the most useful references in my library, although it is small enough to soon outgrow it. However, for those who do not use foreign phrases too often, this is the the reference to have, for those who want a more robust version, I recommend the next step up this ladder: The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases.

This version was small enough in fact that I integrated all of the words into my online dictionary, and still I sometimes forget and go back to the book shelf. Four stars.

This book helps fill in the blanks to better understand phrases. Not covered in the usual language text or course.

In a world where many foreign words and phrases have become increasingly common in both spoken and written English, this book is almost a necessity.

It clarifies numerous words and phrases from Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Yiddish that are used, and just as often, misused, by English speakers and writers.

A few examples:

Under French we find "maison de societe" which literally translates to society house. I had always thought that this must refer to the manor in which some rich or powerful personage resided. No way! It really means a brothel. That's a good one not to misuse.

Here's another from the French language: How many of us know that "bel air" means poise, grace, or good deportment?

Any of us who have ever followed a court case have probably heard the Latin expression "in camera." That literally translates to "in a room," but really means "proceedings conducted in secret."

Now for one from the Italian. We have often heard that someone is a dilettante and most of us probably have some vague sense of what the word means, but how many of us could accurately define dilettante if asked? I'd hazard a guess that the honest answer would be "very few." A dilettante is an amateur, particularly an amateur lover of the arts, but there is a subtler nuance to the word. It also means that this amateur is one who approaches the subject with little or no serious study, and may well pretend to have more knowledge than he actually has.

This is just the surface. LE MOT JUSTE defines and discusses such disparate words and phrases as "Kung Fu," "Pandora's Box," "Nabob." "Kismet, Kimono, and Kibitzer," to name but a few. It also emphasises the nuances that often give the words and phrases their fuller meaning.

It's a good book for any literate person's book shelf.

I had fun flipping through this book and reading phrases in all sorts of languages, including Latin, some of which I found I had the wrong idea of what they meant! If you've studied say German, you'll recognize and know the simple phrases in that chapter, but there's still French, Italian and so on to learn from.

I love Le Mot Juste. My 1987 edition copy is well-worn. It is good to see that the book is continuing to be updated. Sylvester Mawson's original version was published in 1934!

Nearly always, I have been successful in finding expressions I have looked up in these pages. But, if you are like me, a lover of lists, you will enjoy browsing when you are not hunting for the meaning of a word.

In my edition, the definitions are not separated into language groups, which means you don't have to know which language the expression comes from. But I would guess that most users of the book would have some idea of the likely section to hunt in. Could be confusing with Italian and Spanish, though!

Recommended for all lovers of language.

Since James Annenberg Levee was my roommate and fraternity brother, I was curious about his famous family. The book is well researched, informative and readable. A great rags to riches saga.

Legacy does an accurate job of portraying POP the way he wanted it and believe me, he certainly controlled the content. As one who is most familiar as an insider, I can say that his goal was to build the image of greatness. Yes, Pop, you were great and no matter what the cost. In the end you won. To the family, you know how he was. Gbird if you get this, im still here, faithful as ever, yet still controlled by old walter from the grave.

In this engaging and wonderfully written biography, Ogden describes with consummate skill the origins, careers, hardships and accomplishments of two remarkable men, Walter Annenberg and his father, Moses. Facinating insights on business dealings (sometimes hardball), White House maneuverings (not always exemplary), politics, government, social discimination and class structure in America from the end of the 19th century to the present abound. The childhoods and early family environments of both Annenbergs (quite different for each) are well described. The complexity of the father/son relationship (partly due to very different temperaments) and its continuing influence long after Moses Annenberg's death in 1942 is especially poignant. One need not have a special interest in media empires to find this book engrossing; an interest in the capacity to endure, adapt creatively, and prevail in stunning and magnanimous fashion is quite sufficient. This is a distinctly American 20th century story of the highest order.

After having read Legacy I had all of my beliefs about the Great Walter Annenberg confirmed. This man is truely a great and magnanimous individual. His donations are really unprecedented and you could say he has done more for education than any other American. I truely love this man. As an alum of the Peddie school I was astounded by his massive gift in 1993 and I do hope his actions will inspire other alumni to make similiar or even larger gifts.

Just finished Legacy after a whirlwind of reading. Couldn't put it down. Each chapter of this brilliant biography flowed into the next. Author Ogden has done a magnificent job of weaving this father/son story together, managing to illustrate much of the American century through their compelling (and inspring) tale. Reads like a great novel. I will be recommending Legacy to everyone I know.

I really enjoyed Let's Just Take This Outside. I believe it will resonate with anyone caught up in the gears of corporate life. The anecdotes throughout the book are very humorous. And the cartoon illustrations throughout were great. Yet, the situations described and advice offered (via Workplace Improvement Principles) are very insightful and provocative. If you are or ever have been been a citizen of cubicle-land, you should definitely read this book.

A lot of great pointers for on the job human relations you will not get in a Dale Carnegie course. This is for real. Although I am now retired from Corporate America, I found this book applicable in understanding frustrations in sybling relationships.

I would recommend this book to everyone with issues that they cannot resolve on the job. Ty talks about subjects people are afraid to discuss. She makes you feel confident about approaching hard subjects. A great book and great insight, thanks Ty.

I think that Ty's profound ways of dealing with problems on the job is very helpful. I have taken the advice and it has helped me with a lot of situations at my job. I recommend anyone and everyone in Corporate america to read this book. It will teach us all how to deal with different personalities on the job as well as keeping hostile environments down to a minimum. Great Book and Great Job Ty.

The book was great. I read it in 2 hours-one sitting. I couldn't
put it down. The great thing is that it is NOT BORING. . I
believe there are some great principles that all working Americans should learn about. I am sure people are just waiting for some good advice so that they can eliminate the frustration in the workplace. We spend 8 (or more) out of 15 waking hours each day at work so we should do everything we can to make it as pleasant as possible. We want peaceful lives. Ty has a great sense of humor, which makes it even more interesting. I just LOVED THE PICTURES! I look forward to applying the principles she
suggested so I can eliminate frustration now and in the
future.

I love "Good Night Moon" (and can recite it by heart). But "Seven Little Postmen" (and the recently re-issued "Mr. Dog," among others) reveals more about Margaret Wise Brown's genius as a writer than "a quiet old lady whispering 'hush.'"

Originally written in the late 1940's, "Seven Little Postmen" tracks the course of a letter from a little boy in the city to his grandmother in the country through all the stages (way back then) of the mail and all the different types of jolly "postmen" who process the letter from pick-up to rural free delivery back in the days before automation, before "postal employee" became synonymous with "homicidal gun-nut." Ms. Brown's humorous and poetic descriptions of the various jobs (who can remember when speeding trains used to "hook" mailbags from stands beside the tracks so they wouldn't have to stop?) are perfectly matched with Tibor Gergely's (who also illustrated "Scuffy the Tugboat" and "The Taxi that Hurried") colorful and charming illustrations.

Modern-day children will be intrigued by a delightful story with just the right amount of excitement and "mystery" (what's in the letter?) and enchanted by pictures of a more sedate and innocent time in America -- before e-mail, Fed Ex and text messaging took the anticipation and fun out of letters - both writing and receiving. Grown-ups, especially earlier Baby Boomers now becoming grandparents, who read this when they themselves were children, will rediscover a timeless classic.

I want to own all of Margaret Wise Brown's books. Her sing-song writing style just lifts me. I also liked that the boy in the story is so thoughtful toward his little grandmother.

If you're looking for some of the nice older books for your child, be sure to grab this one! It's just so sweet - a little boy has a secret and mails it off to his grandmother. It's a very neat and informative way to explain how the post office works to little ones. We just love this book in our house - it gets read quite a bit. A very nice old fashioned book that has endured the test of time. Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book as a child and now read it to my son. I was so glad to be able to find it still in print. It's just one of those books (like The Night Before Christmas) that you remember all of the words, and the illustrations stay with you always. Just a simple little golden book, but so wonderful!

I really love children's books that sweep the reader away on long journeys. Harold and the Purple Crayon is one such book. So, too, are the Phantom Tollbooth and, of course, Tolkien's works. The Seven Little Postmen does this on a more mundane level, but the journey is enjoyable, nonetheless. Here, Margaret Wise Brown and Tibor Gergely lead us across bustling city streets, fly us through sleet and hail, and send us roaring along shining rails, "Through gloom of night / In a mail car filled with electric light". Not only do we meet seven postmen along the way, but also a cast of colorful characters, including Mrs. Potter, "Who was busy making jam". With chickens and tires delivered R.F.D. via a crank-start motor, Mr. Gergely's distinct and detailed illustrations evoke a time now long gone.


I also recommend Scuffy the Tugboat and His Adventures Down the River, likewise illustrated by Tibor Gergely.

A neighbor sent me the link to this author's website and I immediately became entranced with her style, it is unique, captivating and totally engaging - my kids (5, 6 and 8) LOVE it! I sent the web site link to all my friends - everyone adores her books, they are fun, inspirational and this mom wants to put the word out for others: With the oversaturated, overabundant children's picture book market, why not choose books with sweet, thoughtful and positive messages?! It helps us moms do our jobs better! From one mom to another - thanks Stephanie Lisa Tara!

With illustrations from Alex Walton, Little Library Mouse by Stephanie Lisa Tara is a creative and encouraging tale of an illustrious mouse who lives in a library and when the library is closed and locked at the end of the day carries his little furry mouse friends through fun and imagination driven adventures to be found in the library's many books. Enrapturing the minds of its young readers, Little Library Mouse combines a poetic text with full page works of art in presenting his adventurous endeavors throughout the night of the darkened library through pages and pictures of some very interesting books. A perfect choice for all school and community library picturebook collections, Little Library Mouse is very highly recommended for young readers and their parents seeking to instill in their children a love of reading and an appreciation of libraries.

Even when you are little you can imagine big, so begins this adorable book. Written in rhyme, the story begins as the clock goes tick-tock, is that the key in the lock? It is the end of the day and the library is closed. A white mouse dressed in a purple suit begins to tell of his adventures, of all the things he can be.

With the help of books he can be a clown, a juggler, or a lady bug on a leaf. On the pages he flips, he finds good cheer in storybook trips. In winter he's snow spinning a silvery fable, frosted wilderness-white on the library table. He's a king, he's a queen, and upon all words he stands tall.

He's red, he's yellow, and he's iridescent blue. Short stories are rainbows of sharp color and hue. He is paper, he is ink. He becomes any book he reads. He can read, he can imagine so can you, take a look

If you want to stimulate your child's imagination this is the book for you. It is colorful and fun to read. Who doesn't love cute little mice, as long as they are illustrated in books? Each page is filled with fantasy and wonder.

Finding innovative and evocative ways to stimulate, inspire children - is the key to effectively teaching special education -- a colleague handed me this big beautiful purple book last week, its joyful large-type rhymes had me giggling. Then I put it to the real test and read it to my students.

It is rare that I have such a huge response -- Little Library Mouse instantly became everyone's favorite. My students repeat the bouncing lines back to me, they speak openly about the book's concepts; of words, sentences, poems, stories... of books taking the imagination anywhere it wishes to go, regardless of physical handicaps.

Skillfully told, beautiful illustrated, this teacher gives it a large gold star! Brilliant work from Stephanie Lisa Tara.

What do a mouse, a trapeze and a library have in common? The answer lies within the pages of the Little Library Mouse, by Stephanie Lisa Tara.

A nameless mouse jumps into action, through rhyme, as the library is closed for the evening. We're invited on a journey as the mouse "sails on a sentence" and becomes library book characters, including a ship, a wild animal and a circus act.

Tara enchants us with her storytelling as she makes a library tour exciting, encouraging literacy and reading. Little Library Mouse is to be applauded for its light-as-a-feather rhymes, a style Tara undoubtedly perfected while earning a B.A. in English.

The illustrations, by Alex Walton, are bold, confident, full-page drawings of a mouse as he takes on the identity of the story he becomes.

This exciting adventure is sure to please the preschooler set and would also make a great baby shower gift. It would also be an excellent jumping-off point for parent/teacher and child to create new rhymes, based upon Tara's format.

Armchair Interviews says: This story, as with the Man on the Flying Trapeze, "floats through air with the greatest of ease." Bravo, Little Library Mouse...bravo!

This book was a gift for my sister who was recently engaged, so I only got to enjoy it for a short time. But I skimmed through it and loved all of the ideas, quotes, recipes, etc. that Susan Branch and her team have to offer. The girls in my family are big fans of Susan Branch; we all collect her calendars, scrapbooking pieces, and now some of her books. She's a great inspiration!

This is the first book I have bought by Susan Branch and I could not put it down. Her ideas are so wonderful. In fact - I am going to buy every single one of her books. I love the quotes and sayings. There are so many wonderful ideas to share with your spouse. A definite must have.

This book by Susan Branch is indeed a quaint keepsake. It`s filled with easy recipes, quips, quotes, and fun stories. I especially like that each page is unique and pleasing to the eye. With her own whimsical artwork and hand written style, I found it most enjoyable!

This keepsake book is a great gift idea for someone who has recently gotten engaged or as an anniversary gift. It has adorable illustrations and the lists are actually useful (traditional anniversary gifts).

This is a beautiful book to give at a bridal shower or as a wedding gift. There are wonderful drawings and the quotes and sayings are lovely. I especially love the "advice on marriage":

When you marry him, love him
After you marry him, study him
If he is secretive, trust him
If he is sad, cheer him
When he is talkative, listen to him
When his quarrelsome, ignore him
If he is jealous, cure him
If he cares naught for pleasure, coax him
If he favors society, accompany him
When he deserves it, kiss him
Let him think how well you understand him
But never let him know that you manage him.

Susan Branch is the best.

This is a beautiful little story about a princess named Daffodil who was given a gift from a fairy to grow flowers wherever she would go. This caused some problems with the king, so she was not allowed to walk on the pathways like other children. She was not a happy princess until she was given a hill upon which she could run and be a child like other children. The story has absolutely beautiful illustrations, but the story left my daughter wanting more and wondering what happened next. There is no "and she lived happily ever after" ending to this story and misses a bit on the moral aspects - it could have been a nice story about "the grass is always greener" but just doesn't quite hit the mark. For a nice little fairy tale with outstanding illustrations, this would make a terrific gift to a child in the 4 to 8 year old range - especially if they love princesses in fancy pink dresses.

In 1925 A.A. Milne wrote this charming story and now Isabel Bodor Brown has added her utterly delightful illustrations and the people at Dutton Children's Books crafted all this magic into a darling of a book. The book itself is a beauty, a compact little volume with lavender covers that are speckled with little yellow flowers and a spine stamped in gold. The dust jacket is embossed with gold letters and features the sweet little Princess Daffodil framed in flowers with a beautiful pink dress and a smiling face. Before we even get to page one we are captivated by this engaging child. The story is at times gently humorous and at others it is wistful.
Daffodil's christening gift from her Fairy Godmother is the ability to grow flowers wherever she steps. The King doesn't think this is too practical and limits her access to the grounds. She wants to run and play freely like other children and in the end a happy solution is found. The illustrations are just brimming with delicate beauty and glorious colors. Daffodil is a little wonder and the fairies in the book are satisfyingly magical with gossamer wings and hair, while the Queen is a delicate beauty as a Queen should be. I love everything about this book.

A beautifully written, wonderfully illustrated work. My daughter and son both loved it.

The Magic Hill is a marvelously illustrated fairy-tale, the perfect Easter gift, and a refreshing, charming story. Your child will want to read it over and over and will love the pictures cover to cover. I highly recommend it.

The Magic Hill is an old fashioned fairy tale, complete with a happily ever after ending about a young princess who makes flowers grow wherever she walks. A.A. Milne wrote this delightful story 75 years ago, but it is as fresh and charming now, as I'm sure it was then. The illustrations by Isabel Bodor Brown are very special, beautifully drawn and compliment the text. An old story that will become a new classic. The Magic Hill is a treasure for the whole family to enjoy again and again.

I served in Viet Nam on the gun boats, during the time Chief Bryant was in country. His book is written very well. The real history of the bravery,and dedication comes through. I recommend it for people who wish to know what really happened on the rivers of Viet Nam.

I found Chief Bryant's memoir to be a very moving, and personal account of the life of the riverine sailor in Vietnam. The reader feels a part of the action because this is not a story written by an Admiral, General, or historian, but rather by one man who was part of a boat crew who was just trying to stay alive.Highly recommended for readers interested in riverine warfare or the Vietnam War. Also recommended is "Coast Guard Action in Vietnam" by Paul Scotti.

Koen Review; Volume 5,Issue 12;August 15, 1998 Man of the River, SMC Jimmy R. Bryant, USN Man of the River is a highly personal account of a man's Naval experiences in Vietnam's rivers from 1968 to 1969. In his dedication Bryant made sure to stress that this is not an individual's war story but one of a team. He shows his pride and respect for his fellow "men of the sea" in Task Force 116, River division 591. It is to these brave men whom he dedicates this book. While on active duty he is credited with 38 accounts of enemy contact with his fellow patrolmen. The role of the Navy in Vietnam's waterways was to patrol the rivers in high-speed small boats using hit-and-run tactics to disrupt the flow of enemy troops and supplies. The threat of combat was always with them, and Bryant soon realized that fear was not an option if he were to keep his men alive. His whole task force knew that one false move could be death for them all, and Bryant with great pride tells of how each member kept a cool head throughout with their own bravery and the grace of God. Bryant's straightforward and detailed account was not written for personal glory but from thankfulness for surviving to be able to tell his story in respect and remembrance of all those who fought honorably for the American ideal.

I have now had the opportunity to read in detail your memoir, Man of the River. I found it a beautiful, inspirational story. All your Vietnam comrades are fortunate that you have shared this with them and a wider audience.

All my best wishes to you and your family.

Sincerely, E.R. Zumwalt, Jr. Admiral, USN {Ret}

As a member of the base support personnel at Nha Be during Chief Bryant's tour I was and still am pleased to serve with people like Chief Bryant. This is a great book written by a humble man who truly represents America's finest.