Franklin Books

This is a fine starter book for kids interested in different animals...Bats: Mammals that Fly is our second encounter with the Animals in Order series. What I like a great deal about this is that it takes time at the beginning of the book to look at (briefly) what makes an animal a bat, not a bird or a mouse (which they sometimes look like), getting into what traits exactly make a bat. The book then goes into the "order" of living things which details the kingdom, phylum and class , order, family and species (with a handy visual chart for reference, great for younger kids, so they can SEE how it works rather than just read it or have it read to them). This is one of the better features of this series. Next in goes specifically into where bats fit into animal kingdom, breaking it down (in words and pictures again) to kingdom (animal), phylum (chordate), class (mammal) and order (bat).

The book also talks a bit about where bats of all types and sizes fit into food chain in North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Bats: Mammals that Fly goes from there into an overview of fourteen species complete with full page, color photographs for each one (our boy loved this best), which were quiet nice. This section includes Family, Common Example, Genus and Species and Size for each bat discussed...from the tiny (1.25 inch to 3 inch) Brown Bats of North America to the larger Fruit Bats of Africa (1.5-12 inches). Each animal is given one full page for written description and one full page color photo...excellent for bringing the animal to life for the readers!

Overall, a fantastic way to introduce various types of bats to your curious young reader! What you get in Bats: Mammals that Fly is an excellent overview of all types of bats, with information that takes the scare out of these nocturnal hunters...our kids even came to appreciate the South American vampire bat and enjoyed the section near the end about how European explorers came home with stories of the bats and they were later incorporated into folklore and legend. Now when we see bats at night, the kids speculate as to which bugs are their favorite and what fruits their cousins all over the globe might enjoy! I was impressed with and pleased to find that at the end of the book the author/publisher also included a short recommended reading list and some really great web pages to do more research on...the kids in particular LOVED this!

Five stars all the way, we had a great time reading this and I hope read more of these very soon! I give it a solid two thumbs up, a great starter resource for young readers!

I just picked this up yesterday and have worked through some of the selections. The plentiful notes are quite helpful and aid the reader in terms of vocabulary, syntax, and understanding the content. There's also a glossary at the end of the book containing presumably all the words that occur in the text. The selections on the whole look like they'll make worthwhile reading from the point of view of content. There's a section detailing syntax points of note for Latin poetry and a nice summary of the meters encountered in the selections; both of these subjects but particularly the latter can give serious headaches without an adequate guide. There are some "essays" explaining Roman books, how editing Latin texts is done, and other topics of likely interest to readers, though some of the comments are a bit quaint. On the whole though, the book is highly recommended! Great price too!

I have read all three of Pastor Jentezen's books and they just keep getting better. I cried through many parts of this book because it is so anointed and really touched my heart. God truely does have a plan for your life. If you have an ear to hear and a leg to stand on get this book! Don't settle for less then all God has for you. Jesus said, "All things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23 (NKJV). Believe that you can! "I can do everything through Him (Christ)who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) Be blessed! ~ Miss Andi

Who doesn't love a good fictional story into the tortured life of a famous historical figure? Heck, it's always a good way to write a novel, and Chris Heimerdinger does not fail here as he brings Ben Franklin through an accidental experiment into our time and place, where he is cared for by the usual two spunky kids. Valuable lessons are learned, yadayada.

Really, it truly does make for an entertaining story, and Heimerdinger is sure to get his own strong character of Franklin in, as well as lots of references to his life.

The plot is cute as well, almost reminiscent of the movie "Forever Young", without Mel Gibson.

My only complaint is that Heimerdinger's desire to make Benjamin Franklin a hero goes a little too far. Yes, he was a great man, but he did have many flaws, and I personally see nothing wrong with looking at the good and bad when one does historical research.

Instead, Heimerdinger prefers to condemn anyone that says anything less than flattering about Benjamin Franklin. It's a sense of morality that detracted from the fun little plot.

Still, it's a cute and educational book.

Heimerdinger can explain and describe scenery and situations in great detail without being too verbose. This book is no exception. He writes it as though he were Ben Franklin himself. He uses terms that you would expect Franklin to use and shows that any sufficient technological advance is indistinguishable from magic.

BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS, with it's book and lyrics by Sidney Michaels and (most of) the score by Mark Sandrich, Jr. was one of the highlights of the early-mid '60's. Although the show barely lasted six months, it has the distinction of having a truly remarkably well-working book, a rarity in any musical, now or then. Robert Preston and Ulla Sallert, as Ben and his French paramour Diane (who has a lot of pull at the French court) make a excellent team. The score is one of the decade's best (Although two numbers ["To Be Alone With You" and "Too Charming"] were actually "ghost-writen" by an uncredited Jerry Herman.) It's definately a vehicle for Preston, but is a delight and, with some reworking, could possibly be effectively revived, if only in concert form, if a proper Ben were found. But Preston was ideal, and, although the show was slightly operetta in style, it was elegent, tuneful and fun, condensing episodes from the history of one of our country's greatest Founding Fathers into an enjoyable and lovely evening of theatre. I was only twelve when I saw it, but remember it vividly and was delighted when it was released on c.d. (I'd had the libretto for decades, as Random House published it around the time the show appeared.)

Really a great introduction to Benjamin Franklin's curiosity and the famous electricity science experiments. Check out when Franklin's hair stands on end -- funny! We read it together. I'm going to pick up more in this series -- On My Own Science.

When one thinks about the early American history and the colonial period it's natural to associate this history with the New England region. But if there is one area outside of New England that can boast a history that is just as rich and as important, it is certainly the city of Philadelphia. "Ben Franklin's Philadelphia" by Tom Huntington is equal parts a tour guide, Franklin Biography, and a history, all blended in one enjoyable, and informative book.

Huntington takes readers on a tour of colonial Philadelphia, stopping at many well known, and many unknown historical buildings and landmarks, including many of those frequented by Franklin himself. Along the way Huntington provides biographical information about Franklin in relation to these various stops. 2006 marks Franklin's 300th birthday and there is no better time to visit historical Philadelphia than during this year long celebration of one of America's greatest Founding Fathers. In all there are just over two dozen different places to visit in the guide and Huntington greatly assists readers by providing the address and phone number of each site, hours of operation, admission prices (if applicable), and finally, a walking map with each site numbered so you can plan your route when you visit.

Certainly many people know about Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center, both of which can be visited free of charge, but there are many other interesting, out-of-the-way sites that are not quite as well known but are equally tantalizing for history buffs. For instance this is Elfreth's Alley, which has the distinction of being the oldest, continually occupied residential street in America, with homes that date back to the 1720's. Two of these buildings served as the Elfreth's Alley museum with a modest admission price.

Near Elfreth's Alley is the Fireman's Hall Museum. The Museum recognizes Ben Franklin's contributions as the founder of the city's first fire company in 1736. Another marvelous site is Christ Church where he and his wife Deborah attended services on occasion. It was Franklin who helped organize the funding for the church's massive 200-foot tall steeple that has become one of the city's most visible landmarks.

The Franklins are buried in Christ Church Burial Grounds, which, oddly enough, are actually a few streets over from the church. A large slab covers Franklin's final resting place and it has become a tradition for visitors to toss pennies on the slab for good luck.

The thing that strikes me about all of the sites in Huntington's guide is the modest admission fees for visiting most of them. Many of these sites can be toured for free, while others are less than $20 for a family of four, making them not only historically enriching, but a heck of a bargain as well.

If you plan on visiting Philadelphia, do yourself a favor and pick up this book and have a great time walking around old Philadelphia.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Award-nominated children's author and English teacher Stephen Eaton Hume presents Ben Franklin's War, a novel for young adults set in the time of America's Revolutionary War. Ben Franklin, one of America's Founding Fathers, journeyed to Canada in search of help fighting against England's rule over the America, but finds little aid and much danger. Ben Franklin's War is told from the perspective of Michael, a deaf boy who is one of a crew of orphans and abandoned children who take it upon themselves to hide the leader from the British Redcoats. Michael's sign language even inspires Ben Franklin to create a top secret spy code. A tale of adventure, featuring inventions and challenges at the dawn of the American nation.

Bar- Zohar knows Israeli political life from inside. He is also a skilled writer. He tells the story of David Ben- Gurion in a very richly detailed and historically accurate way. Ben- Zohar basically sympathizes with Ben- Gurion and appreciates the decisive role he played, the unique role he played in doing the impossible, and bringing into being a Jewish state after two- thousand years of Exile, and with very shaky support for it in the world. Zohar does not stop there and tells the whole story of Ben- Gurion's political leadership, pioneering vision, and final years at Sde Boker.

It's a shame about Ben Franklin. A printer, inventor, statesman, diplomat and patriot, he played a huge role in bringing America to birth. Yet when he is impersonated today, it is so often as a buffoon - a wit-spilling, innocuous jolly chubby comic. Ronald Clark's "Benjamin Franklin: A Biography" puts the lie to Franklin-as-comic-distraction, placing him at the center of a very serious America drama.

Clark takes us from Franklin's early days in Boston, a town that (sadly) he came to despise. A printer's apprentice for his overbearing and less talented brother James, young Franklin found liberation penning phony advice from a fictitious widow, Silence Dogood, and slipping them under the print shop door at night. The success of these bits of writing put Franklin on a path of self-reliance and innovation that lasted his entire life.

Clark follows Franklin to Philadelphia where he deftly maneuvers his way into the printing business, to his scientific endeavors. Not enough of us know that Franklin's experiments in electricity (not just his kite flying) where very serious science in the 18th century. Franklin was highly regarded for the common sense way he approached the subject. Our everyday language of electricity - that it has positive and negative aspects - is Franklin's. I was surprised to know that the facts behind the story of the kite are less certain that I imagined. If the story happened (and it has a whiff of Franklin's direct and simple methods) Franklin may have been keen to keep it quiet after realized how lucky he was to have survived the experience.

Clark details Franklin's importance to the American revolution - especially his long service as diplomat to the French, wheedling out of them the guns, uniforms and supplies the colonies desperately needed to keep fighting the British Army. Clark covers Franklin's flirtatious behavior with the noble ladies of France, but leaves it mostly up to the reader to determine whether he as just playing at seduction as was "a la mode" in elite Parisian circles, or was truly engaged in something more serious. Franklin rather paternal and often long-distance relationship with his wife Deborah is detailed via their letters.

In short, Clark gives a us a Franklin who is an American genius, springing up at a time when the nation most needed a man of his craft, seriousness, subtlety and intelligence. You will read it and forever be dissatisfied with the vacuous impersonations that have smoothed out and tamed this must unruly of intellects.