Carlson Books

Written by a Florida native, Weird Florida contains a lot of funny and strange stories. Although not strictly a travel book, a little more effort could have been given to directions and locations. Frequently it seems the author assumes a pretty detailed knowledge of Florida geography. Some towns used as location indicators are tiny and obscure, even they are nearby a major metro area, which is usually unmentioned. Otherwise it seems to be a good collection of anecdotes, stories, sightings and legends. Will see many of the places on an upcoming trip to Florida.

Had purchased a copy of this book while on vacation in south Florida. Enjoyed it so much that I decided to purchase copies for family as Christmas gifts. My husband and his family have been here since 1969 and always told me stories and I thought they were pulling my leg. Not So!! Fun reading for other states as well.

Funny, wacky, well-written and super illustrations. This is a terrific book on our beloved state. Do not be confused by another book with the same name. It's Charley Carlson who has our state perfectly in his sights. Love this book and strongly recommend it.

It was interesting and fun to see these wacky sites plus to read the folklore, and it does kind of aid the tourist who wants to see weird parts of
the state. But I found more enjoyable was Elliots Kleinberg's Book
of the same name.

This is a rather odd collection of novelty sites in Florida. Some involve ghost stories, and others are natural phenomena. The book won't serve as a guide of places to visit, as details on location are sketchy. It is colorfully illustrated with photos.
Is there lost pirate's treasure in South Florida? Is there a skunk ape near Bardin? Check out the smallest post office in the U.S. (at Ochopee). See Florida's weirdest mailbox (a skeleton on a motorcycle).
The writing has a "gee whiz" style and is corroborated by semi-anonymous endorsements of the legends.
Interesting enough for a quick flip through, but lacking in real substance or solid research.

The Carlson Gracie style of BJJ is an "aggressive" style which differs from the BJJ taught by those under Helio Gracie. Due to its more aggressive nature, there are more pictures in this book than most other BJJ book to show the techniques more clearly. Of course, there is no replacement for time spent on the mat but this book serves as helpful reminder to the different techniques taught by Carlson Gracie Sr to such champion like Mario Sperry(BJJ Champion),Vitor Belfort(Former UFC Champion)etc. This is the only book written by Carlson Gracie, the insight into the techniques of the Grand Master of BJJ is priceless.

Just Got this great book, and it is amazing. It covers several aspects of grappling - GI, No Gi, MMA. I would recommend that you purchase this book, only if you have experience as a grappler......although it can be of some use for non experienced grapplers as well.

If, by secrets, we mean quality, high percentage techniques for BJJ, submission wrestling and MMA, then this is true. As well as being an elder statesman of the legendary Gracie family and well recognised master of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Carlson is also the coach of many top BJJ, submission wrestling and MMA champions.

Names like 'Ze' Mario Sperry, Murillo Bustamonte and Rodrigo Medeiros are just a few of Carlson's fantastic stable of students. In this book, we see why they're so successful.

The book is in three parts and starts with Carlson demonstrating techniques for sport Jiu Jitsu. This section covers takedowns, guard work, sweeps and reversals, chokes and cranks, and arm bars and ankle locks.

Carlson demonstrates (or has his students demonstrate) simple and effective techniques. Often, you'll see something done slightly differently to what you're used to. IT's a little light on description. That's a bit of a pain, but it's also part of the reason this is for "Experts Only".

I especially liked the section on the "Jello Guard". Some open guard techniques you've seen before at the big competitions, but performed by the guy who developed them and refined them, giving you details on how to make them work.

The submission wrestling section covers guard work, escapes and defences, chokes and cranks, and arm bars and wrist locks. This section is mostly demonstrated by Carlson's students, but Carlson demonstrates a number of techniques.

Same comments as the previous section. Great, simple, effective techniques. Light on description, but those with some exerience will be able to pick up plenty of detail. Perhaps you'll even pick up a great technique you haven't seen before to add to your arsenal.

The MMA section is my favourite. It covers the clinch, takedown defence, guard work and side control/knee on stomach. The first two are subjects you don't usually see in Jiu Jitsu manuals. The other two parts are covered in a way I've only seen covered by Mario Sperry in his Vale Tudo series.

The standing techniques incorporate strikes that are simple enough for any grappler to use. The takedown defences and clinch techniques are simple and very high percentage.

As I said earlier, this section reminds me of Mario Sperry's Vale Tudo Series. The techniques are simpler and different, but you can see where Ze Mario developed his philosophy.

This section includes THE ABSOLUTE BEST coverage of guard use in MMA/NHB I have seen in a book.

All in all, the photography is good, the techniques are great. The book doesn't teach you how to string techniques together very well, though. They're more a set of ideas to add to your game. The book loses a star because I thought it needed more detailed descriptions in a lot of areas.

Don't let that deter you, though. Especially if you're a somewhat experienced grappler who wants to add to his or her gam or to see how to implement your existing game into MMA/NHB.

An excellent book showing the Carlson Gracie method of Brasilian jiu-Jitsu. He does have a unique style all his own, and when mixed with the traditional techniques show in the Renzo/Royler book, you have a great set of books in which to refer to for your class.

This book has helped me immensely, especially the nogi section. I personally prefer and compete mainly in gi divisions, but I do train regularly in nogi once a week. That is where I have really noticed this book helping my game, but it has helped my gi game as well.

Great book that should be found on any Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu practioner's bookself.

It's hard to argue that Carlson Gracie is a master - he's produced more champions in jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts then the next three or four top coaches combined. This is his first English language instruction manual, where you can see the master and his students executing numerous techniques. Sport jiu jitsu (with Gi), submission wrestling (No Gi) and self defense are all covered. While the material is not an encyclopedia of all the techniques out there, it is well organized and easy to follow for most any audience - even the non-experts.

This book is clear and does an excellent job of teaching a beginner the basics of neuropsych. Carlson understands this material can at times be dry and difficult and is able to write anecdotally and scientifically.

This book is really easy to, but that does not mean that it does not provide you with good information. In fact, I think the book is informative while being quite concise. The diagrams are nice too.

I was able to get the international edition for less (it is a paperback). The content is the same.

I borrowed the 4th ed. of this book from a friend of mine to write up a lecture on synaptic transmissions. It was the clearest, most well-written physio psych book I think I've ever seen. Usually when psychologist try to write about biology they end up doing things like describing neurons as "a fluid-filled balloon" (no joke. Actually saw that in my intro textbook), but Carlson is clear yet intelligent. I would definitely recommend this book and hope to use it in my classes in the future.

This book provides a strong basis for Neuropsychological studies. Very easy to read and the Neuroscience Animations Disc is essential for examinations and a firmer grasp of the material. There is little emphasis, however, on the neurophysiological basis of the major Psychiatric disorders.

Though pleased with the quality of this book, I was pissed off that the "used" copy that I purchased was actually a "free" teacher's edition. Additionally, it said on the cover: "free copy--not for resale" (which probably violates copyright laws).

When I got the book in the mail, I opened it up and was just going to give it a cursory glance before putting it down to read later. I could not do that. In fact I could not go to bed that night until I finished the book. Thankfully I finished it by 2am so I was able to get a little bit of sleep before getting up for work later that morning.

To say I relate to this book is a mild understatement. I've had good roommates and I've had bad roommates. Thankfully I've never had a roommate that was as self-absorbed as Kendall is. You will find yourself frustrated at her actions while hoping that she finds the change she so desperately needs.

Carlson's use of what I have recently found is called Deep Point of View is captivating, making one feel like she is in the middle of the action - watching as Megan is ripping up carpet, or as Anna is dealing with a charming co-worker, or Lelani is dealing with family. All four characters are well developed - their actions true to their personalities and backgrounds. The setting is fun and the light hints of romance are engaging. Each character gets her chance to tell her story during the course of the novel.

The second book, Let Them Eat Fruitcake, comes out in September. Is it September yet?

PROS

-A fun read with interesting enough characters and premise.

-I especially found the Megan and Anna characters to be especially well-portrayed and realistic.


CONS


-A little too much high-end product placement for my taste (Prada purses, Nordstrom shopping trips, etc.)

-The author tends not to use "show, don't tell"--I think it would have been interesting to see more action and little nuances than to have the author state everything.

-Sometimes this book comes off as a soap opera. At one point, Lelani's uncle by marriage comes onto her in a way that is random and schlocky.
Lelani's "big secret" is played out in similar fashion.

-Kendall is a completely stereotypical blonde "Barbie doll" lazy rich girl with few redeeming qualities.

-The Christian element is barely there, which was kind of disappointing for me, although the book is generally fairly clean.



Overall, not flawless but far from awful. Light, fluffy, and a slight touch of melodrama.

This is a light-hearted book that is a quick read. It seems to be mainly introducing the characters who we will get to know better in three more books following later this year and next year. I enjoyed many of the characters and look forward to finding out more about them. It reminded me of my college days and my first roommate!!

Each character brings a pile of baggage and a box or two of issues as the Bloomberg series begins. Kendall, Megan, Lelani and Anna are strangers who become new intimates. Toes are stepped on, space is invaded and renovation occurs within each character before the book ends. However, there is much room for future character development as the obvious and not so obvious issues barely began to unpack in book one. There are several chick-lit style scenarios, girlfriend bonding, job shuffling and guy stuff, but the story is told in 3rd person POV through the four different female characters. Because of the style, chick-lit lovers may find it less than satisfying because there is limited intimacy. Fans of Yada-Yada books may enjoy the multi-character format, but there is a limited amount of God talk. It was a quick and enjoyable read, perfect if you want a light serving of drama.

I Heart Bloomberg by Melody Carlson is the first book in the 85 Bloomberg Place series. Kendall Weis has a great plan: she will rent out the home her grandmother has given her to three roommates and live off of the income insuring she won't have to get a job and can continue to support her designer clothes habit. But when Megan, Leilani, and Anna see the place, it's not quite the luxurious upscale home Kendall advertised. The four women renegotiate the contract leaving Kendall frustrated and angry at the reduction in income and the remodeling her new roomies plan on making. Carlson is a fantastic writer of Christian chick lit, and this book is another fab example. Megan is recovering from the death of her father, Leilani from a bad relationship resulting in pregnancy, Anna's trying to break free from her mother's stranglehold, and Kendall is devastated after her parents abandon her. Each woman is trying to mend a wounded heart and hoping that this house will be the cure. The women are interesting and multi-dimensional (even selfish Kendall). The groundwork has been laid for suspense, with several young women disappearing in the area, and romance in future books. There are so many different plotlines running through this book, I don't know how Carlson will wrap them all up in just four books, but I know that this writer can handle it with aplomb. I hope the series goes longer than four books; these are characters I will enjoy reading about as they mature again and again.

What a great book to put in an Easter basket! This one teaches kids how to praise God for everything. Absolutely everything that they have and how to ask Him for the things that they require in everyday life. It's calling them to remember from Whom their blessings come - it's not the type of job you have, how successful, etc., but from Whom the job came from and the resulting blessings. This is a wonderful way to teach children the right way but you have to be sure you put it into context. I can definitely understand why others here are saying this book focuses on 'GIMME, GIMME, GIMME God, everything I want on my big, huge shopping list." I thought that too but then again, I went back to read exactly what God had said and put the thing into the right context in the Bible. It makes sense that way and you really need to do that before reading this book to your children so you can explain it better when the questions arise. Otherwise, it really does read like "God, please give me everything I ask for." You have to use wisdom and know the Word before presenting it to children because they haven't read it or understand it like you do. That's why we're here to teach them!

A great little book for a lifetime of learning and growing closer in their relationships to God. Definitely one that should be on everyone's shelf!

we need more books that teach us about God! This book is a great step toward building a relationship with God.

I absolutely love this book and highly recommend it. I'm teaching 2-5 yrs old during the summer in Sunday School and when I found this book, I knew this was it! I am actually ordering one for each member of my class because this is a prayer they can use their entire life. The person that gave this book a bad review needs to read the original Prayer of Jabez. There are blessings for us, if we just ask and I don't want to miss out on one! It explains it in terms that little ones can understand.

It is hard to find meaningful prayer books for the smaller set. Most are too preachy or unrelated to "real life". This book does a good job of presenting the awesome Prayer of Jabez in a way little ones can not only understand but really grasp on to and incorporate into their prayer life. That's what I was hoping for and that's what I got.

It's bad enough that the original book has been so influential; that Wilkinson is spreading his shallow prooftexting theology to teens and now little children is reprehensible. Jabez devotional, journal, Bible study (one must assume the title is sarcastic). Is there any end to what he'll do to milk this trend? Do your kids a favor. Teach them the stories of the important heroes of the Bible and leave Jabez to his previous obscurity.

I got this book as a gift for my Birth Day. I loved Edgar Allan Poe, his writings, poetry, essays, everything. I first heard The Raven in my [...] class, than heard The Cask of Amontillado in my [...] class. I than fully fell-in-love with this Poet! I also went out and picked up Young Edgar Allan Poe, and read it, exploring his life from a small child in beautiful detail to his death. If you haven't read any of Edgar Allan Poe's writings yet, please do so. Now...
At first when you read some of his writings, you get washed away by the old-fashioned literature, to the insanity of his mind (which isn't so, mind you). I had to re-read The Masque of the Red Death twice before I fully comprehended just what happened. I relieved in the story: The Cask of Amontillado and The Pit and the Pendulum, struggled through The Bells, read my heart out in The Raven, raced through The Tell-Tale Heart and read curiously at The Man of the Crowd. This is truly the king of horror and insanity at it's best! Drop Stephen King for just a little while and read Poe, you won't regret it!

THIS BOOK IS VERY GOOD AND KEPT MY INTEREST THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE TIME I READ IT.

I've found this particular edition of Poe's (albiet incomplete) collected works to be the best and most accurate blend possible of his short fiction, poetry, and most important prose. The annotations and background information are also extremely helpful unlike some works that do not translate the Latin, for example. MOST IMPORTANTLY I've found this work to contain the most perfect editions of his poetry, as opposed to other collected works I've owned that have unusual deviances, such as "monody compels" (this ed.) vs "melody compels" of another edition. This has indeed become a faithful companion and my particular copy has become well-worn! I would suggest obtaining as a supplement a seperate edition of Poe's complete short stories and possibly also an edition of his collected prose, although this volume contains his perhaps most important work "The American Drama" anyway. Cheers, hope this helps!

Reading "The Fall of the House of Usher" for the first time it seems quite complicated due to both vocabulary and interpretation. Reading it again you notice how this difficult yet discriptive and varied vocabulary together with his narrative style capture you and set you right there next to the narrator to see what he saw and feel what he felt. The self-realizing prophecy of R.Usher makes you, too, fight with fear, but from a safe distance.

This story was disjointed, abstract, distrubing and confusing to the point that it hurt my head... yet I want to read it again. Although I'm not sure I understood everthing that happened, you get so caught up in the the agony of the characters insanity, one must read on to try to make sense of it. This is a book that you will read over and over to try and understand and just when you think you've got it... you will have doubt enough to read it once again!

The first half of this book dealt with the story itself including the suicide and the life of the author's son `Ben'. The second half covered the different mood disorders that afflicted Ben and methods of treatment.

There is one basic reason I gave this book four of five stars. This book did not talk about childhood depression. In brief areas throughout the text the author hinted to depression and a manic depressive (bi-polar) illness. However the majority of the text and history provided of Ben's life was about his ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning disorders. The author ranted for many chapters about how she tried to help him with his studies and how school was a problem for him and how she wanted Ben to do better in school, but he was not getting the assistance he needed. Long story short, she focused the primary emphasis of her text on his learning disabilities and not on his chronic depression or manic-depressive disorders, which in the end were the causes of his suicide. Based on these facts I would rate this book lower, however it did do a much better job in the second half of the book with thorough descriptions of the various mental disorders for diagnosis purposes and treatment methods as well as a section for suicide awareness and avoidance.

If you want a book which describes the trials and tribulations of a child with various mental health issues, buy this book.

If you want a book about suicide prevention, or a book with an in-depth look at adolescent depression or manic depressive (bi-polar) mood disorders than look else where because this book falls short in these areas.

The book is good, but Carlson kept losing me when the story of her son turns into a textbook for teachers. It does, however, have some strong points for anyone who has ever lost someone to suicide. A "Good" Book.....

This is a touching story, but suicide isn't the only aspect of Childhood-Onset Bipolar Disorder. This gives some good information, but isn't that well written. There's a new book that has a lot of practical information in a very usable format that addresses the daily challenges of Bipolar Disorder, not just the suicidal tendencies, much better. It's called "If Your Child is Bipolar."

If you've ever experienced the loss of a loved one by suicide, you probably have wondered. Carlson's book is helpful in so many ways, but especially in helping life get back on track. Having lost her son to suicide, Trudy Carlson picks up the pieces of her family life and moves ahead in the best way she can, and becomes an inspiration to others along the way. Though every family is unique and each story different, the death of a child is perhaps one situation with common threads: grief, pain, guilt, hopelessness. Carlson shows us how to deal with these, suggests options that could help (and which the reader may not have been prepared to consider) and shows by example that while life after a suicide is not the same, the difference it brings about is not necessarily bad. I've read this book a few times and now have given copies to friends. It amazes me that you can mention "suicide" in a group of people, and suddenly everyone has a story about it. I found this book comforting, uplifting, and helpful. You know Ben Carlson. You know Trudy Carlson. They are us.

As the mother of a teen suicide myself, I highly recommend this book. For those of you who are grieving from the same tragedy, it will answer many of your "Why" questions. And for those who have loved ones suffering from depression or bipolar disorder, you will learn how you may prevent their suicide. All depressed and bipolar people are at high risk for suicide. Trudy eloquently describes how triggers may prompt a suicide but mental illness causes it. She also describes quite accurately many of the confusing behaviors these individuals display: anger from limit-setting, logical leaps that are hard to follow, and a jovial attitude when experiencing deep pain. She did a marvelous job in her discussion of the relationship between loss and depression. This book also includes a detailed section on medications that I've seen in no other book like it. A must read!

This book arrived in great condition. The shipping was fast and I would definitely purchase again.

How do women become so wise and resilient? And why do we sweat the small stuff so much? Is there some balance, some moment when you realize that most of it is all small stuff?

Kristine Carlson is married to Richard Carlson and together they show great insight into the everyday life. Their books can seriously start to change your life if you use the principles they present in these easy-to-read compact books. I especially like their "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in Love" book and I think it helped me improve my own relationship considerably by making me realize that one of the most important needs humans have is to be listened to. I had never really thought about what the other person needed in conversation, always so busy jabbering on. Wow, that was quite a revelation to me and it changed my entire view of conversation.

Expect real revelations from these books. They are more than enlightening. Sometimes a simple awareness of an issue can trigger an entire thinking pattern that will help you make changes. When reading this book a highlighter is essential!

Kristine discusses why you should set aside time every morning to reflect. See, that is a good excuse to spend a little time in the morning chatting online? Right? Ok, well I think that she actually meant spending time alone thinking about your day.

As you move into your day, you try to get organized and at times the entire day feels like it is falling apart. Have you noticed that if you pick up the house in the morning, the entire day is more enjoyable? Kristine gives herself an hour each morning to clear the path of her day. She spends time each morning organizing her life. I loved her thought about laundry. A gentleman she met makes folding clothes a Zen meditation. Ok, so I am not burning candles while I fold towels, but I try not to be as stressed about it all.

Some of her ideas include:

Make Peace with The Mundane - Sometimes life just IS.
Ground Your Energy in Nature - Take a walk in the evening.
Protect Your Inner Flame - Nurture yourself.

Plan an Inspiration Flow Day - Just go with the flow...oh, what fun this type of day is. It is very freeing and you do just what occurs to you. I write the most reviews on these types of days. They might include reading a great book, watching a movie, sitting outside with the cats, making dinner, writing in a journal, exercising. On other days, you might feel like just leaving the house for most of the day and forgetting about that load of laundry, those dishes, etc. Just escaping can be most freeing.

Walk Through Open Doors - A positive attitude shows you more open doors.

Let Go of "Perfect" Plans - have a sense of humor when things don't work instead of crying your eyes out. Dissapointment is so hard to take when you have very high expectations.

Climb Your Mountain One Step at a Time - set goals, but take it one step at a time.

Save Pot Stirring for Cooking Dinner (I really liked that one!)
Gather and Let Go
Define Your Small Stuff

This is a collection of essays that will inspire you and you will learn to appreciate people in your life, swallow your anger, take time for yourself and nurture your friendships.

Use this as a way to make your own list of things you want to change in your life.

Then:

Go run in a rain puddle
Light Candles while you watch a movie
Think about Beautiful Moments
Start a Journal
Say something inspirational to a friend
Tell someone in your life you love them
Let some things go, don't obsess so much (ok, but it is hard to do!)

Define what is not really important then imagine it drifting away on a small boat, down the river in front of you. After all, who has time for all that baggage.

Read this book to help you see the really important things in life.

Great Insight! You might even want to buy a few copies for
all your friends. That reminds me to add a few to my
wish list!

~The Rebecca Review
Author of Seasoned with Love: A collection of
best-loved recipes inspired by over 40 cultures

Well-meaning, I suppose, but very lightweight advice. Take a hot bath. Breathe deeply. Drink decaffinated tea. Please. Nothing new here. A nice little book for someone who's pretty oblivious to the world around them. Sorry to be jaded; but nothing here that would seriously stop the sweating! Maybe it would stop mild perspiration, but not real sweat!

This is a great short read. One you can pick up and read a chapter at a time. Great for women with children. I would highly reccomend this book

This cheerful book aims to make us stop and smell--if not roses--whatever is sitting in front of our noses. It is just like the other series of "Don't Sweat" books but with a women-minded twist. It offers meditations designed to make us appreciate our lives, keep our emotions in perspective, and cherish other people. I also highly recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom" by Taro Gold. If we all followed the guidance in these books, we would be happier, more harmonious women.

Want to learn what fractal geometry is? Get this book, you'll know enough to be able to join in conversations on the topic.

Was this a Power Point presentation... gone missing?

First, it's important to realize that this book is part of a series of "Introducing..." books from a UK publisher. So good authors were probably forced to follow a bad format.

That format apparently required glitzy graphics which overpowered the book. Each small page seemed to be on a separate topic... much like a Power Point slide presentation.

There was disappointingly little coverage of the math side of the material. OK, there really was next to none. The saving grace was the coverage of where fractals were being used in practical applications.

Let me tell you a little more on these graphics. They were (professionally done) hand drawn cartoons. Mostly of famous mathematicians having quirky things to say about the subject, on an 8th grade level.

Overall, I think the authors did a fair job of trying to jamb an excellent subject into a stupid book format. The problem lies most likely at the feet of the publisher. This format makes sense for some of their other 8th grade books: "Introducing Feminism"... Freud... Jung... Marx... Einstein, etc. How they were able to pull off "Introducing Math" in one of these small books is probably a story in and of itself. They even have an "Introducing a Post-Feminism" book, if the first one was not enough.

This book was not a complete zero for me, as I did learn many new things. It was a fast read, but I think I have yet to find the best introductory book on Fractals. If you buy this book, you'll never have to pick up a pencil and solve a problem, or even use a calculator. It's just all... a quick read.

John Dunbar

I liked this book.

I believe it will have value to someone already knowledgeable about math and/or systems and looking for a quick and easy survey of the ideas they will encounter as they start learning about fractal geometry. This book will NOT make them an expert on the subject.

I've read other, more technical books on fractal geometry and chaos, so nothing here was brand new to me.

As for an introduction for the layman...well, that's a tall order if you hope to go beyond the "gee whiz!" phase with pretty pictures. For that, this book is probably as good as you can reasonably expect.

Discovered this book serendipitously- It's easy to read, and the witty illustrations pull you right into it. It's a good book because, while it follows a logical sequence of explanation of fractals, it can also be opened almost anywhere and "read in". I will pass this book on, both to adults and young people I know, and they will get a great introduction to fractals!

I like the format of these books, but the problem for me is that this one does not fulfil its brief, which is presumably to be, as its title implies, an introduction to a difficult subject for those not well-versed in science.
I am an interested member of the latter consituency, but I found this book presupposed far too much background knowledge - especially of terminology. Not enough is explained for those of us reformed Luddites who need to be hand-held in these matters. I shall try elsewhere. (Luckily, the field of `popular science` writing is a rich and fertile one these days.)

Bought this for my 5 yr old about to start Kindergarten in a new "big" school, and for my 3 yr old who will be going to preschool for the first time. The book resonated well with both of them, especially the younger one.

I BROUGHT THIS BOOK FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTER, AND SHE LOVED IT. IT REALLY PREPARES THE CHILD FOR SCHOOL AND WHAT SHE SHOULD EXPECT THE FIRST DAY .

I found this book to be trite and predictable. It could help children and parents to prepare for Kindergarten, but so could many other books that are better, such as the Miss Bindergarten books or The Night Before Kindergarten. I understand that young children need simple, colorful books, but the illustrations in Look Out Kindergarten just did not do it for me. I myself have little visual art ability, but feel I could have illustrated this book better. Being a librarian, I know that preschool age children need great illustrations to enhance their listening; this book was a large disappointment.

My daughter is very excited about going to kindergarten this fall but she is also nervous about a few things. So I purchased this book and we read it every night along with a few others. It is a wonderful book because it talks about all the things they will do there and how it's ok to be nervous. It talks about making new friends, having a new teacher and kindergarten round up. This has helped us get ready for the transition from preschool to kindergarten. I highly recommend it!

I bought this book for my almost five year old granddaughter who is about to enter kindergarten and found it to be below her comprehension and appreciation standards. Her younger sister who is 2 seemed to enjoy it.