Brown Books

Most Americans don't think about freedom very much since it is so woven into the fabric of our country. The Mystery of the Old Brown Suitcase paints the picture that we should not take our freedom for granted and that freedom opens the door to opportunity, love and happiness.

This book is a Real Story of a Man,who came to this Country with no Money ,but with Big Dreams ,Courage and Character to achieve a life,full of Love,Happiness and Financial Security! The book is a real Treasure for all Families with Children,showing them that Nothing on Earth is Impossible when you know your Dreams and Follow them with Hard Work and Loving Support from your Family!

What a great story. Kept my daughter interested from start to finish. She asked great questions about Edmond's life. A lesson to learn about what we can accomplish in life...with hard work and determination.

My kids loved this book. They loved reading about Edmonds journey. We found it very enjoyable.

This book is a great story to be read to or by your children! A story of many elements that our children nowadays could learn and gather great insight from. It's especially touching to know that the events and characters are true to life.

I read this book when it first came out as the writer was a family friend. I've always been interested in medicine and to have history blended in with medical theories behind huge events that shaped our world was one of the most exciting reads I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing! I've searched for other books of the same genre and have never found anything to remotely compare to this gem! Read it, you wont regret it. And the next time a major mover and shaker of our time is making a speech on TV, you'll find yourself wondering, "Are the whites of his eyes jaundiced?" "Is that a tremor in his hand?" It's like TV's "House" if it were set on the History channel...and well- in print instead of on screen. Oh, you know what I mean!! READ IT.

Was it the Iron Duke or a fragile derriere that defeated Napoleon at Waterloo? What did ail Napoleon, and did his illnesses erode his empire? These, and other such questions so intrigued the author as to lead him to investigate biology as well as history and thus devise his own sub-genre-that of BioHistory.

This book chronicles, in non-inflammatory prose the medical histories of two of history's other famous persons-Poe and Goya, plus entire peoples-among them the Roman Empire, which he claims was brought down by lead poisoning and the 13th century, decimated by the Black Death.

This is a fascinating and exceedingly well-written book, with some examples corroborated by current technologies, such as proving that Napoleon WAS poisoned by arsenic. Locks of his hair gave up this information in 1962. Sadly, we can not know if he ingested the substance intentionally or unintentionally, as arsenic was commonly used in some medications at the time of his imprisonment on St Helena.

Early in the 1900's, an endocrinologist blamed Bonaparte's success and eventual defeat on his thyroid gland. The overactive gland drove him to frantic greatness; but the exhausted organ's lethargy cast him into failure and defeat. Some years later, another scientist argued that it was really a laggard pituitary gland, while still another blamed Napoleon's allegedly tiny testicles.

Fortunately for history, Napoleon asked for an autopsy to be done. This was conducted by his own surgeon, and observed by English doctors. One of these, Dr. Arnott, reported that Napoleon feared cancer, although the symptoms the Little General exhibited before his death more closely allied with a diagnosis of kidney failure, possibly gastroenteritis, or arsenic poisoning.

The book "The Murder of Napoleon" by Ben Weider and David Hopgood (1982) purported to solve the puzzle of a century-and-a-half earlier. Using modern science, the case was clearly laid out, step by step, with a claim to having finally solved the crime. Other researchers, however, disclaimed the solution, pointing out that the wallpaper in the room where Napoleon spent his dying days was permeated with arsenic, and it could therefore have contaminated him, both before and after death.

The most important-well, maybe not-fact set forth by Mr. Karlen is that Napoleon suffered greatly from hemorrhoids which led to his defeat in Russia in 1812, but even more importantly, that of Waterloo in 1815. As Karlen states ". . .(the attack) resumed in full force around June 13, on the road to Waterloo. Riding horseback with piles is a fate to be wished on one's worst enemy. That is just what Napoleon did all day before the battle. . . Wellington later said that Waterloo was one of the narrowest victories he had seen. Napoleon's fatigue, pain and limited mobility could have made the difference."

Napoleon's many other ailments are also discussed, reasonably, in this book, which contains an excellent bibliography. The author, a former editor at NEWSWEEK, presents a convincing tie-in between 'the Pill' and PMS in the penultimate chapter "The Upright, the Erotic"; I recommend it highly. I found this book at my library. You could do worse, whether for entertainment or research.

I have now purchased my fourth copy of Napoleon's Glands because the first three copies were loaned to friends who refused to part with them. As a teacher of writing, I often read excerpts of Napolean's Glands and other of Karlen's works to dazzle my students with how good writing should be done. My oral reading to my classes of Karlen's writing is always followed by a mass-gasp of awe, oh-wow, and then silence as the beauty of his words sink in. Arno Karlen has "IT." Don't miss his books.

Arno Karlen's fascinating look into the various factors that shape history is quite underrated. I stumbled upon it by accident in my local library and am glad that I found it. Starting with three biographical profile chapters, Karlen delves into the roles that obscure diseases, disorders and maladies play in history. From plumbism to plagues, an immense wealth of knowledge unfolds to tell the true complexity of history. Karlen contends that most historians overlook such factors and claim that man alone is responsible for making history. Karlen hasn't received the recognition he deserves. A good instructional guide for amateur and professional historians.

Arno Karlen's fascinating look into the various factors that shape history is quite underrated. I stumbled upon it by accident in my local library and am glad that I found it. Starting with three biographical profile chapters, Karlen delves into the roles that obscure diseases, disorders and maladies play in history. From plumbism to plagues, an immense wealth of knowledge unfolds to tell the true complexity of history. Karlen contends that most historians overlook such factors and claim that man alone is responsible for making history. Karlen hasn't received the recognition he deserves. A good instructional guide for amateur and professional historians.

I did this diet and didn't feel it was a diet. I got lots to eat, recipe's were great. I didn't lose the weight I should've because I cheated but still lost 20 lbs. and I'm still following this menu as it is good and easy to do. I'm hoping to lose another 10 lbs. yet. I highly recommend this book. Bob

I went on this diet about ten years ago, and went from a dress size 12 to a size 6. I know it works. I am planning to get on it again after my child is born. I want my old body back!

Ellington Darden makes fitness plain and simple. Dieting is futile without exercise to develop muscle. The exercise regimen fits all levels and goals , including every thing down to the grocery list! If you can't succeed here, go home!

This is a great book. I have lost many pounds using the methods in the book. But I replace his Nautilus routines with my own free weight and other routines. The only quibble I have with the book is that there may be too much sugar in the diet. Darden states that the diet is not for everybody but I believe there is too much sugar for anybody. It doesn't seem to harm anything for the normal individual but it does encourage a sweet tooth.

I first did the Nautilus diet about 3 years ago, and lost the first 20 lbs during the 10 week regimen, then 20 more lbs after the regimen ended because I kept up the healthy eating and exercise routine. I kept this weight off for 2.5 years until I moved home for 6 weeks before my wedding! Since then I have probably gained 15 of the lost pounds back, but it is b/c I stopped exercising and eating properly. I have just started the diet again, and know (REALLY KNOW) that in 10 weeks I will look fantastic again. This book gives you a menu for each meal, recipes to follow, and a grocery list. It really couldn't be easier. When you think about it, 10 weeks is only 2 1/2 months. That surely isn't long to wait for a new body and a new lease on life. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to anyone needing an easy and effective diet.

This is my first Ngaio Marsh novel. It is in many respects similar to an Agatha Christie in that the suspects are interviewed one at a time and then gathered for the final denoument. I guessed wrongly whodunnit, but the murderer and motive make sense when revealed. However, the murder doesn't take place until well into the book, and I got caught up with Martyn's story. The suspense for me was whether she would get the role and attain her dream of stardom. Ms. Marsh must have known a lot about the theater since there is a lot of detail about sets and actors. For a contemporary "closed set" murder mystery also based in England, I would recommend Christmas is Murder: A Rex Graves Mystery by C.S. Challinor.

Like many struggling young actresses before her, Martyn Tarne has a private fantasy of stepping in for a leading lady taken ill. In true Ngaio Marsh style, Martyn's dream is made a reality, in a twisted way; having just missed an audition at the Vulcan, Martyn wangles a job involved with another show set to open in a few days - as the leading lady's dresser, since Helena Hamilton's regular dresser just went into hospital. Martyn, a New Zealander who was robbed upon arriving in England, is alone and broke, and thankful to get *any* job until she can get on her feet - even at the Vulcan, where her mother's immensely famous cousin Adam Poole is both leading man and director.

The small cast and other Vulcan personnel involved in the production feature quite a few mirror images and parallels in their situations and their relationships with each other. In several scenes, actual reflecting surfaces underline this - shop windows as Martyn trudges to a late audition, a picture under glass of one character that reflects another, and so on.

Martyn doesn't want to establish herself on the London stage solely on the strength of her relationship with Poole - but she's ideally suited for a supporting role in the play requiring a woman who strongly resembles the lead. By contrast, Gay Gainsford, cast for the part on her uncle's insistence, requires heavy makeup and acting skills outside her scope, and is as prone to hysterical outbursts about her loathing for the play even as Martyn tries to fade into the woodwork and hang onto her job. Both women's relationships with older men in the company result in protective and sometimes over-protective reactions as clashes occur in the high-pressure atmosphere of the last few rehearsals and opening night.

As for the men associated with the Vulcan, Clark Bennington, Gay's uncle, is a once-fine actor now in a supporting role as an alcoholic both on stage and in life. On a particularly galling note, he seems to be playing second fiddle to Adam Poole in his marriage as well as his career - Helena Hamilton, the leading lady, has a career that eclipses Bennington's and tends to inspire devotion in most men, though she seems to collect only the young and artistic variety. Most of the other men on the scene apparently don't qualify, being either too old (her devoted admirer Jacques, the director's assistant; Gay's admirer Darcey, supporting player; the crabby playwright Dr. Rutherford) or ambiguous. All the men except Jacques and Poole do their bit to make the situation worse - even the playwright, whose "helpful" feedback is loaded with unprofessional attacks on the junior members of the cast, driving them almost to the point of breakdown when he isn't tactfully headed off.

The story plays out in a very compressed space and timeframe, set almost entirely within the walls of the Vulcan and mostly upon the opening night of THUS TO REVISIT, whose first performance ends with the discovery of the body of a member of the company; the investigation is wrapped up before daybreak.

I recommend James Saxon's unabridged recording of the text; Marsh's stories tend to function very well when performed, and this is no exception.

Drive in totals:
- Two deaths (poison); a third from a previous incident in the same theatre is referred to. (The Vulcan is not the same theatre as the Dolphin, which appears in other stories).
- One sexual assault (off camera, referred to indirectly).
- One openly homophobic character; it's made clear that that's only one of many unpleasant aspects of his rude, bullying personality.
- A character from A SURFEIT OF LAMPREYS turns up as a young constable.
- This story isn't about Alleyn, really; he serves to bring the truth of events and various motivations of the real main characters to light. Alleyn's personal life and family aren't a factor.

There's never a dull moment at The Vulcan Theatre--especially when a starving actress named Martyn Tarne walks into the job of dresser for the show's leading lady. What with a gifted but nasty author, an alcoholic actor, a hysterical bit player, and a host of other neurotics, opening night is more unnerving than usual. In fact, it's pure murder, and Inspector Alleyn is soon on the scene.

Ngaio Marsh is one of the great mystery novelists of the 20th Century, and she is particularly known for her skill at creating believable characters in memorable settings. But she is also uniquely gifted at portraying the complex world of the theatre, a task she takes on in several novels but never better than here. Marsh captures the contrast between the out-front-glamor and the backstage hysteria with the knowledge of an insider (she was, in fact, a theatrical director herself), and in VULCAN she offers a remarkably accurate, powerful vision.

Although it is occasionally beset by some of Marsh's less admirable tendencies, NIGHT AT THE VULCAN is easily among the best of the best, a novel that will not only fascinate you with it's look behind the grand curtain, but keep you guessing in terms of plot as well. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Who would've thought that so many murders could occur in theatres? But then again, it's all a case of life imitating art, and no one does this better than Ngaio Marsh. It's not surprising when you realize that she was a stage director/producer in New Zealand. _Night at the Vulcan_ beautifully captures the atmosphere unique to the theatre, while laying out a very clever case of murder made to look like suicide. This is all told through the eyes of Martyn Tarne, a young lady newly arrived to the London theatre scene, making it all the more interesting. The only reason that I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, was that the identity of the murderer became a little too obvious, in my opinion, but all in all, a fantastic read.

Night at the Vulcan has everything; sympathetic (and endearing) characters, lots of Shakespearean quotes, realistic dialogue, two very different (but equally satisfying) love stories, gorgeous prose...all of the things I read Ngaio for. The character of Martyn Tarne is one I wish Ngaio had re-used in a later book (like she did with some characters from "Death of a Peer" and "Killer Dolphin.").

Ngaio Marsh is my favorite author, and Night at the Vulcan is my favorite Ngaio Marsh. 'Nuff said.

i bought this for my husband, a green day fan and guitarist/lead singer in his own band, for christmas and he LOVED this book. neither he or his friends knew it existed and are taking turns reading it.

For years I have enjoyed Green Day's lyrics, punk rock mentality, and original sound they carry from 1000 hours through to American Idiot. Upon the release of American Idiot and their worldwide tour, I wanted to know everything I could about their development and psychology that goes into their particular brand of madness. This book had everything I could have possibly wanted to know and more. I feel like I'll always appreciate their contribution to human society as a whole. Thanks to Marc for writing this book.

While the career of Green Day is not lengthy compared to many rock lengends, I found "Nobody Likes You" to be a cohesive and thorough account of their lives and careers to date. Marc Spitz has again successfully delved into the economic background and times that shaped these young men into one of the best punk rock bands of modern times.

my love for green day is inconsistant, and i know all there is to know about everything concerning green day. when i heard about this new novel about green day, i snatched it up the moment it came out in stores. i spent my evening reading this engrossing novel, and was shocked to find many candid interviews that made me cry with joy! some of the things i already knew, but that is only because i am a hardcore fan. Those who like green day, and would like to take a peek into their lives, fame, and stress, will absolutely without a doubt eat this novel up. it is that good. it isnt boring, and very insightful. i recommend it greatly.

Just to highlight something another reviewer put in their brief review of this title, it is not a 'novel'. Novels are works of fiction. This is the polar opposite.

I am holding the book here in my hand preparing to analyze it for my job at a national book supplier, and will likely end up purchasing a copy for my son.

It appears to be a concise, well-written history of the group. Check out the Booklist review.

I heard about this book through the grapevine, and bought it on Amazon as soon as it came out. I just finished reading it last night (a marathon reading session of 12 hours, once I started, I couldn't put it down) and I can't wait for the sequel! The characters are loveable and detailed, complex, three-dimensional, and interesting. The world Meg Burden has created is truly mysterious. I loved every moment of this book, even the sad parts, and I hope Meg writes the sequel SOON!

Reviewed by Emily Judah (age 13) for Reader Views (11/07)

When I first received "Northlander" I thought that it would be a history book about some place called Northland. But boy was I wrong. "Northlander" is an exciting book full of adventure and uncertainty. Ms. Burden is skilled at making you feel like you are actually "in" the book. I immediately fell in love with the characters and felt like I was with them during their good and bad times.

"Northlander" is about Ellin, the sixteen-year-old daughter of one of the best healers in Southland. Northland, the hated neighbor of Southland, is grieving over their soon-to-die king, King Allard the Prudent. The Northland physicians know nothing whatsoever of how to help their beloved King. In fact they are only making things worse for him by making him swallow horrible brews made of the most disgusting ingredients. Finally one of the king's physicians decides that the King's only chance at life is the skilled healers of Southland. If they can find a healer willing to come secretly to Northland and teach them how to make their brews full of fresh herbs and flowers, their King might have a chance. So he invites Master healer Rowan Fisher to come and teach the Northlanders how to treat their King. Healer Rowan agrees and travels with Ellin his daughter to move temporarily to Northland and heal the king.

Ellin is extremely unhappy in Northland. She has no friends to talk to, no familiar faces. She and her father must carry papers around and show them to the guards every time they go in and out of the city gates. They are treated like animals by the locals and are always given nasty looks on the street. One night she loses track of time while picking herbs for her father and the gates to the city close. She is left pleading to the guard to let her in; he refuses and she is left to face the bitter cold and wild animals of Northland alone. The guard then has pity on her and lets her stay in the abandoned guard house outside the city gates. While huddled in the corner trying to stay warm, a young blonde-haired guard rushes in without noticing her and sobs uncontrollably at the table. She decides that he is probably hurt, so she stands up to see what she can do. She learns that he is not hurt but he is the youngest son of the King and that if her father doesn't help the King now it will be too late.

I'm not going to go on with the story because I don't want to spoil it for you but I have to say that "Northlander" is a great book that I will put on my favorite list for sure. Ms. Burden is an awesome author that knows how to "pull" you into the story with the first paragraph o

The Southling Ellin has been summoned with her father to the Northland kingdom. In a land where they are despised for their red hair and feared for their magic, their hand in the healing of the Northland king is a secret. However, the healing powers that have been banned by law may be the only thing that can save the ailing king.

On a crucial night, Ellin must fight against the prejudice that threatens to keep her from fulfilling the oaths that her father, as a healer, took, and that she will take on the day she is of age. Her determination manages to pull the monarch through the worst, but, while she learns that the potential for peace among individual Northlands and Southlings exists, she and her father are forbidden to return to their homeland until the king regains consciousness.

The friendships that she forges will bring her through a time when all she once understood about her life is destroyed, and she must find a way to come to terms with the power she's inherited and the truth she has grown to understand before a war sweeps away everything she has left.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and recommend it to all who have found themselves on both sides of a drawn line. The characters are easy to identify with, and the plot rich and relevant. I will be keeping an eager eye out for Book Two.

Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

Ellin is the sixteen-year-old daughter of the best healer in Southland. Though forbidden, her father is asked to help heal the dying king of Northland. This is the same king who made laws to forbid the use use of "witchcraft." The penalty for doing this is death. After being refused entry to the city, a kind guard lets her stay in a gatehouse, where the youngest king's son finds her. He takes her to his father after she tells him she can help him. Later after she helps save the king's life she finds out she has another gift. A gift her father fears. It's only when they go back to Southland does she find out the reason for her father's fears. Ellin is one of the 'tainted', someone even her own people fear. Now it's up to Ellin to find out more about her gift and what she needs to do in order to not fall into the hands of the Guardians, who want her dead.

This is an engaging tale. I couldn't put it down! I was fascinated in Ellin's ability to heal and also her telepathic ability. Also this story shows how hatred is only ignorance of what is unknown. The author does a great job showing how Ellin feels when she discovers her gift and how it feels to be different and feared by others. I can't wait for the sequel!

Northlander arrived in the mail today, and I immediately sat down on the front porch and started reading. And I didn't stop for three hours except for the ten minutes while I ate supper.

Now, I'd already been lucky enough to read the first few chapters online a couple months ago, so I knew some of the characters already. I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE these characters. The five Northland princes, Ellin the Southland 'witch-girl', Ellin's wonderful, loving father. The relationship between Ellin and her father was so great, it made me think about my own relationship with my father.

The plot is exciting, and each time I started thinking, "Oh, I see where this is going", I was proved wrong. Not that I thought that very often, anyway.

I don't want to talk too much about it, because I don't want to spoil you at all for the story. Let's just say that in the Northlands, all Southlanders are reviled. They're seen as lower than low because of their red hair and their predisposition to the healing arts. They're required to carry papers, and if a Southlander wears clothes, they're fit for nothing but burning afterwards. Yet Southlander Ellin and her father are the only people who have the ability to save the life of the Northlander king, and as healers, they feel compelled to try, even if they endanger themselves by breaking the law to do so. Because of Ellin's bravery, momentous events are set into motion, and danger threatens from several sources. She has to rely on her wits and the new talents that are awakening inside her to keep her alive--and she can't tell who to trust.

It's a riveting story, and I found it both emotionally moving and engaging.

Oliver is a baby rhinoceros with a tiny round stump of a horn. He has lots of toys and stuffed animals, and a cute little dog. But what he wants most is for his mother to play with him. Alas, she is too busy with all of the chores on her "must do" list, and Oliver spends a long day wistfully noting how much more fun things are when you have someone to play with. The next day, Oliver takes it upon himself to replace his mother's "must do" list with fun items of his own, and he and his mother share a very different day.

The illustrations in this book are remarkably detailed, with lots of hidden rewards to repay the careful viewer. My favorite such gift is a drawing of Oliver's patched pajamas, straining across his broad rear, with a stitched opening for his little tail. Oliver's dog is also priceless, expressive and mischievous, though never actually mentioned in the text. I also liked the detail that one day Oliver smells the clean in his favorite shirt, fresh out of the dryer, and the next day we see him wearing the shirt. Of course. It's his favorite, after all. It's all very careful attention to detail, with exuberant colors.

But what really makes Oliver's Must Do List shine is the story itself. Who hasn't noticed how difficult it is to play pirates or race-cars alone? And yet, what parent hasn't sometimes been too busy to play with an impatient child? Ultimately, Oliver's mother shows him just how much she loves him, through the time that they spend together. Oliver's Must-Do List is probably best suited to four to six year olds, who will appreciate the richly detailed pictures. I highly recommend this book.

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on May 14th.

What I like about this book is that it lends itself to the reality of the mom being busy, and the child needing attention.

Hello. . ..haven't we all been there? Wish I would have had this book when my kids were around Oliver's age!

Cool thing about Susan Taylor Brown's book is that this is also a great book for TEACHERS who are doing a unit on families. You could do so many extension activities off of Oliver. . . .fun! Fun! Fun!

Oliver's Must-Do List made me teary and wish for the days when I had little ones to play with. This book will engage the reader as well as the child. The illustrations are wonderful for the busy mind/eye of a child. There is so much for a parent to engage with a child even while reading. "What is the dog doing now?" "Can you find the giraffe?" "What is your favorite part of this picture?" The author did a fabulous job of writing a playful story incorporating realistic ways to play with small children.

Oliver himself is so engaging children will want to be his friend. And because Oliver doesn't whine or beg, but is resourceful, he is a great role model for kids!

I didn't understand the reviewer saying some of the illustrations were from one point of view and some from another. I found that every spread was from the child's perspective watching Oliver and what he is doing. Some have the mother at closer range than others, but all are from the reader's perspective watching Oliver and his actions and emotions. I thought the complexity of the drawings were perfect for the active child whose mind is delighted by color, movement, play and discovering new things in the illustrations every time they read the book. They won't get bored with the story or the illustrations!

This book is just a delight in all ways. An A++ picture book.

As a working Bay- area Mom of a 5 year old and a 4 month old - it is not surprising that time flies right out of my day and my night.
Oliver's Must Do List hits me hard as I realize the underlying message that the author is trying to put forth. Spending time doing fun stuff with the kids is an absolute priority.
Regardless of the chores around - there is always laundry to be done or mail to sort out. However those chores are always going to be there. They are not going away but my children have only a few years to be children. They will grow up and I don't want to miss out on their growing up years.
I want my kids to look back and think about the time they spent sleeping in an indoor makeshift tent or playing "dress up" with Mommy. They are not going to reminisce about the time spent doing homework or brushing their teeth before going to bed. Today I am as delighted as my cherubs that I made colored soda with Sprite and watercolors for the dolls tea party ,played tag around the coffee table, ate ice cream with pickles and potato chips. The list can go on
Oliver... is a great read for all parents along with their children - I actually feel it is an aide to planning pleasurable moments in your child's day. I would re-read this book as a constant reminder to not get caught up in my household tasks and errands that have to be run but plan some humorous and entertaining moments with the kids.
Thanks Susan Taylor Brown for providing you the insight that we all seem to miss in balancing career & home. We seem to miss out on the amusing side of life. I think I am now going to treat myself to some tomfoolery however impractical that may sound.
Go ahead you all - indulge in some comical instances today. The monkey business can keep you sane. :-)

Oliver wants his mother to play with him, but her must-do list has no end. He tries to entertain himself, but the games aren't as much fun without a playmate. Oliver finds a clever solution and spends a special, fun-filled day doing what kids do best...PLAYING!

I immediately fell in love with Oliver. What a personality! Oliver feels like a real kid, begging for attention and desperate to get more mommy time. Oliver is a sweet, imaginative and enterprising kid who young readers will want to emulate.

Kids will feel Oliver's pain, and parents will share in his mother's guilt. It seems there's always too much work and no time to play! After reading this book, my own children insisted that I do not play with them enough, so I challenged them to post their own must-do lists on the refrigerator. It was also an excellent opportunity to discuss chores, responsibilities...and things we can all do around the house to help mommy have more time to play. Plus, they came up with some really great family activities!

Teachers and parents will appreciate the 12-page teaching guide available at the author's website. It's full of great classroom and at-home activities that build on the book and feed young minds. Also at the author's site: information on how you can have Oliver visit your school or book store!

Oliver's Must-Do List is a wonderful reminder to take a break for fun time, snuggle time, wish-upon-a-star time. Be sure to clear a spot on the fridge for pint-sized must-do lists before reading this book!

See my other reviews at YA Books Central

The book I am reviewing is On the Field with... Emmitt Smith written by Matt Christopher. I give this book five stars. This book is about a person who loves to play football. A problem in this story is Emmitt Smith breaks his hamstring. Emmitt Smith played running back for the Dallas Cowboys. I'd recommend this book to a friend. Other books written by Matt Christopher are On the Field... with Terrell Davis and On the Court with...Shaquille O'Neal. This book is awesome!

Emerson, NJ Fifth Grade

If you like football and Emit Smith than On The Field With Emmit Smith is a great book for you. It also tells Emmit's life story. It tells where he went to collage and about when he became pro. I like the book because I want to be like Emit. I think it is a good book for people who like sports.

This book is really really good. Its dot life facts about him there all real, the records he set. All about his life and how hard he tried to make it to the N.F.L. and made it. I think its a really good book read it sometime.

I choose this book because I like the Dallas Cowboys. The book listed facts about Emmitt's career, and a little about his life. I think this book is similar to the book The Amazing Bo Jackson.

Emmitt Smith loved football from the time he was a baby. He would play and sometimes be too big to be able to play. In high school, he was a star running back but he had a time where he fumbled a lot. After he went into the NFL draft, the Cowboys, unlike many other teams, thought even though Emmitt didn't have very much speed, he could still be a really good running back. So the Cowboys were able to pick him as the 21st player picked. He became a star and led the Cowboys to three Superbowl victories and won four rushing titles for himself. It is a good book because it tells you about him at every time of his life.

This is my most-recommended book for LGBT families, or for those introducing the topic to preschool children. The story is funny and fun, the illustrations are classic, and the tone is natural. My son loves this book, and when we shared it with his pre-K class, the teacher immediately bought a copy for thier library. If you are a gay parent of a young child, I urge you to add this to your family's collection.

Sorry for the title... I am SO SICK of this book! Why am I so sick of it? Because it is my son's FAVORITE book. Every night, every day, every time he wants a book, he wants this one. He has several books he likes, but the daddy book is by far his favorite. We bought it because he does not have a dad (we are a two mom family), but wanted to teach him about dads. For a long time, he could not comprehend that there was no mommy in the story. Once he got past that hurdle, he fell in love with it. I can recite this book in my sleep, and probably in another language if I tried.

The book itself is... predictable and lame. The rhyming is cutesy, but tries too hard (especially the very last page). The story is fine, more about the dads being blue than about their being two dads. I did like that the little girl was not surprised at all by the fact that Lou had two dads, just by the fact that his dads were both blue (and, really, what are the odds?).

This book is really ideal for the 2-3 year old set. Older than that would be bored by the rhyming and the pictures are not all that engaging for the younger crowd. But for my son, it is all a book can and should be. I just wish he would move on!

ONE DAD, TWO DADS, BROWN DAD, BLUE DADS tells the story of Lou and his gay fathers, who happen to be blue. A young girl is very curious about his blue dads and asks many questions which Lou thinks are rather silly. For example, she wants to know if his blue dads can sing, cook, work, play, and stand on their heads like her dad can. Lou replies, "What funny ideas you have. Do you think dads are different because they are blue." The message is quite clear; blue dads, or gay dads, experience family life similar to white, black, or heterosexual dads. Alyson Press has recommended this book to children as young as two years old. I question whether or not very young children will be able to separate the blueness of the fathers to actually understand that having two dads is as "normal" as having one. I suggest introducing this book to a three or four year old who is better able to understand the humor in having blue or green dads. The illustrations are eye catching, include diversity in many areas and display the fathers in many cross gender activities.

I use this book in my preschool classroom with 3, 4, and 5 year-olds. They love it, and instantly see the silliness in being afraid or worried about a family with two dads OR blue dads. We use it every year during our unit on families.

Funny and light-hearted, with nothing blatant. Appeals to a preschooler's sense of the ridiculous without insulting them. My five-year-old loved it, and he only has one dad and one mom. Also encourages thinking about racial issues and questions about how "other" kids families might be structured (divorced, single-parent, step-families, gay families, adoptive families). Bright, well-composed illustrations. Vibrant text. MUCH more fun (and less preachy) than "Heather has two mommies" or the "Daddy's Roommate" books.

At the time of this writing Berke Breathed's Opus 'toons hadn't made it to my local paper, so this collection represents "the end" of sorts for a strip that burned as brightly as a supernova from 1980 to 1995.

The first part of this collection contains the final - more or less - Outland strips. These strips were written back when fat and cholesterol were the bad foods instead of carbs. Various plotlines include jabs at Hollywood with a sequel to the classic "To Kill a Mockingbird": "Kill Mo' Mockingbird". Steve Dallas defends Bill the Cat of his murderous fake chainsaw rampage a'la the OJ trial, then Steve hi-jacks Oliver Wendell Jones' time machine to go chase ambulances through history, running into Calamity Janes, Lady Godiva, Adolf Hitler and a caveman, circa 10,000 B.C.

Opus winds his way through the final Outland strips much as he did at the end of Bloom County, ending with a poignant reunion with a loved family member thought long gone.

In the final part of the book Mr. Breathed lets us in on some of his favorite strips and private thoughts in a way I haven't seen in other places. He tells us the anecdotes of communications he has received from Leonard Nimoy, Caspar Weinburger, President Reagan, "Mockingbird" Author Harper Lee, and he describes the evolution of characters originally intended to appear for only a moment who then became cornerstones of the Breathed 'toon empire: Opus and Bill the Cat. Good stuff for the Breathed collector.

It was a sad day when Bloom County and then Outland ended. These are perhaps the best view of the Eighties and early Ninties that can be done with humor. I really enjoyed the last part of the book in which Breathed tells a short story about cartoons that recived special responces from diferant public figures (i.e. President Reagan, Casper Weinburger, Gregory Peck and Spock, yes, as in Mr. Spock!!). I will miss Bill and Opus.

Why do all the great ones do it? Berke Breathed, Bill watterson, Gary Larson. Al the great cartoonists quit when there's lots of stuff left to cover! All the boring strips (Dennis the Menace, Garfield, Family Circus) must remain. Dilbert is Pretty good, but Scott Adams can never live up to the artistic and comedic talent of Berke Breathed. I wish Mr. Breathed would AT LEAST do another collection full of fresh stuff...

I was very upset when Breathed stopped drawing comic strips. I didn't really discover Bloom County until just before it was canceled and Outland took its place. It's a shame that all of the good cartoonists stop writing while the rest keep running the same gags forever (don't believe me? see how many different jokes you can find in Dennis the Menace.) Alas. This is the final collection of Breathed's strips, with some older ones and the stories about them. Most of the time that sort of thing tends to be pretty boring but in this case they are actually the highlight of the book (be sure not to miss the one about the time President Reagan called while he (Breathed) was in the shower.) The Outland strips themselves are not, in my opinion, as funny as Bloom County was, but that isn't a very harsh criticism.

Reading past Bloom County and Outland strips is like taking a stroll through the political and pop culture landscape of the eighties and early nineties with non-stop laughs and fond memories of the times and of the what is quite possibly the funniest comic strip series ever.