Henry Books

Years ago a friend and I used this book to make a quilt for a friend who was getting married. I love it so much I bought my own copy. I have made upwards of 7 quilts using it. It's fantastic. The way the quilts are "randomly" pieced together is great for novice sewers. They are very forgiving.

I never quilted before and thought I'd teach myself. After looking at several quilting books, I found this one to be the most helpful in describing exactly how to quilt - from how to use a rotary cutter, to how to baste the layers together.

This is a MUST HAVE for any new quilter. I also enjoyed the simple patterns - I was able to make a nice quilt on my first attempt!

I made my first quilts using this book --about five of them so far. The instructions are clear, the quilts are diverse enough to satisfy every taste--rail fence, Amish, Provencal, bargello, courthouse steps, checks, madras--and they are presented with very attractive hand-colored illustrations in a choice of color ways. I have many quilt books, but this is my all-time favorite. If I had only one quilt book, this would be it!

I recieved mine today and unlike a lot of other quilt books out there, this book has many different quilts that I will make in the near future. This has very clear directions which is great for the beginner such as myself.

The quilts inside this book are much prettier than the way they appear on the cover page. I wanted to make each and every one of them!

This delightful story tells the tale of a boy who meets a kindly dragon on the edge of town. The boy and the dragon become friends and start spending a lot of time together. Then the people of the town find out about the dragon and send for St. George. The boy meets with St. George and takes him to meet the dragon. All three soon become friends and find themselves in a quandry. George doesn't want to kill the dragon and the dragon has no desire to kill George. A plan is hatched and at the end of the story everyone lives happily.

It's really great reading this to younger children. It's got a great message about not prejudging others. It also shows how people can sometimes get everything they want, without anyone having to get hurt by it. That doesn't happen often, but it's nice to be reminded now and again that it can.

I love this story but am interested to know the illustrator. If it is Marlene Ekman's illustrations in the hardcover version then it is the best publication. Her pictures add real life to this wonderful child's story.

Author of historical fiction.

This book is a treasure for your library. It brings endless pleasure, and is the kind of story that spans all ages.

It is the tale of a boy and his dragon who lives up on the Downs. In spite of the bad reputation dragons have, the boy and he become quick friends. Saint George shows up to do battle with the reluctant lizard, and the boy arranges a mock battle, unbeknown to the villagers that pleases everyone.

(...) THE BOOK IS ABOUT THIS BOY WHO MEETS THIS DRAGON AND THEY
BEACOME FRIENDS THE DRAGON TELLS THE BOY STORY AND NONE ARE
TRUE. BUT ONE IS TRUE THE DRAGONS FAUTHER DIED WHEN A KNIGHT
FOUND OUT ABOUT HIM WHEN THE DRAGON WAS LITTLE. THE KID
HEARS ABOUT A KNIGHT NAMED ST. GEORGE HE TELLS ST. GEORGE
ABOUT THE DRAGON. THE NEXT DAY THE KID SHOWS ST. GEORGE THE
THE DRAGON THE DRAGON DID NOT WHANT TO FIGHT. THE NEXT DAY
ST. GEORGE TOLD SOME OF THE DRAGONS TALES TO THE VILLAGE.
THE TALES WHERE ABOUT KNIGHTS AND DRAGONS FIGHTING. THAT
AFTER NOON THE DRAGON HID IN THE CAVE AND ST. GEORGE FAKED
TO KILL THE DRAGON AND WAS FAMOUS.

(...)

This is a wonderful story that can be enjoyed by all ages. But because of some of the archaic phrasing I would not recommend it to students under the age of 8.

I came across this book while basically just browsing many different topics. I had read "Black Boy" and "Native Son" many, many years ago, and had kind of lumped them in with books by other black authors like "Invisible Man" and "Go Tell It on the Mountain". However, having fortunately had my consciousness raised significantly since the late 60's, I decided to read this biography - there was another biography by Margaret Walker, a former friend of Wright's, but it seemed a little bitter and so possibly not as objective. I noted right away this was what I call a "two bookmark" book - one for the text and one for the footnotes at the back (I much prefer footnotes at the bottom of the page but realize this is sometimes too awkward and voluminous). The story evolved of a man whose life somewhat overlapped with my own, beginning with his wretched and impoverished childhood in Mississippi, spent mostly with his mother and brother after his father left and started another family. Richard's family was incredibly poor, in a poor black section of a poor town in the poor state of Mississippi. Other adjectives for Mississippi at that time, and for years to come, spring to mind, like "brutal", "racist to the nth degree", "lynching addicted", "determined to maintain a questionable (and certainly not enviable) "white way of life" by harsh infliction of Jim Crow laws. However, the young Richard Wright had great artistic intelligence, as well as an exceptionally mind, and a dream for his life from which he would not waver. He could no longer live in a State where his inferiors were seen to be his superiors. He moved to Chicago ("up North") with an aunt while in his teens and was disappointed and horrified by many of the conditions he found there. There were minimally more opportunities for Negroes (as they were called at that time, also "coloreds") and "race-mixing", while widely frowned upon, was accepted in certain circles. Richard was introduced into the Communist Party, and thus began a decades old love-hate relationship with communism. Yes, he got many good opportunities to exercise his writing abilities through the Party's many literary outlets, but he resented its stifling nature and in-fighting. Eventually, he felt he had been duped by the Party and he also felt he could no longer tolerate the obvious infiltration by the FBI and CIA, who were beginning their paroxysms of anti-Communist hysteria at that time, wasting millions of tax-payer dollars scrutinizing and harassing ordinary and innocent citizens, particularly those involved in the arts and in civil rights. This hysteria, of course, culminated in the insanely megalomaniacal frenzy known as "The McCarthy Era", after the fixated, parapolitical, ranting Senator who gave this era its name. He also progressed through work he did under the auspices of the WPA. He had some close writer friends and developed close friendships with his agent and his publisher, and lived a fairly social life (although he most loved to be by himself, writing), mostly through activities in the Party, the WPA and earlier, at the Post Office where he was temporarily employed. He also lived for quite some time in New York, which was a little more progressive; however, he encountered instances of racial prejudice there, as well. His first big book, Native Son, was a huge success considering white America really didn't like to have more than one big Negro writer at any one time. Black Boy followed. He also wrote many short stories and essays. He married precipitously (actually his second choice) because he felt he should be married and have children. After considerable passport problems, he moved his family to France, where he felt much more at home, despite France's somewhat straitened circumstances following WW II. Richard Wright was keenly aware and interested in matters of a political nature, and particularly as they affected "people of color", which included also citizens of the oriental countries, Africa, Muslim countries, etc. He also traveled to Spain and some of the Nordic countries. He was fascinated by people and their reactions to their circumstances in life. He maintained close correspondences with many of the literary figures of the day, both black and white, and counted them among his close friends. In his personal professional life, he was incredibly focused and hard-working. Most of his books were required to be extensively edited by his publisher, often up to over one-third of the original book. However, he took on these tasks with diligence, resignation and hard work, as he realized that a book that doesn't sell is basically just a home decoration. During his life, he wrote fiction, biography thinly disguised as fiction, short stories, songs, plays, non-fiction travel memoirs, books of political and historical theory and, toward the end of his life, haikus. He and his wife had two daughters but eventually his wife and children moved to England, while he remained in France to write. Even when they all lived together, he often traveled for six months to a year at a time by himself researching and writing. Needless to say, he and his wife grew emotionally apart - his weakness for other women didn't help. Instead of bemoaning this turn of events, although I'm sure she did in the beginning, Ellen Wright turned to publishing, with the help of Simone deBeauvoir, a friend originally of Richard's but then later, Ellen's very close friend. His later books, written in France, did not do as well, with the possible exception of "The Outsider". His publisher and agent speculated that perhaps he had been overseas too long and was not aware of the changes that had taken place in the U.S., and particularly in Mississippi, where his stories took place, making his books dated. Paradoxically, his books that took place in France and Spain were panned as not being familiar enough to him. He never gave up, however, despite ill health that had plagued him off and on since adulthood and which had become worse in his later years, culminating in a truly scary course of treatment by his German doctor. His untimely death was a blow to the millions of people who would have been enriched by the books still in him, and of the books unpublished at this death. In particular, I would have loved to have read his book about Africa. Richard Wright was a writer of uncommon intelligence and research habits, with a gift of seeing into the hearts of people. He wrote equally well about the white races. He also comes across as a fairly loyal and interesting friend, as well as a loving father. Even in hard times, he provided for his family, despite his basic estrangement from Ellen, his wife. His untimely death was a loss for all readers, but his legacy lives on, as I, for one, fully intend to read (and in some cases re-read) every book I can find by Richard Wright. This was a fairly long book, with voluminous footnotes, but I can honestly say I was never bored, and there were never parts I felt I had to skip over. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to "meet" Richard Wright, the man and the author.

Why has it taken a half-century for a really good writer to produce a biography of Richard Wright? It had not seemed "natural" until Hazel Rowley's new book.

Far beyond crippling "racial," political, and professional cliches, Rowley has crafted easily the most comprehensive, insightful and balanced life of Wright. Her prose and understanding are unaffectedly live and clear. Her feel for Wright's accomplishment, the range of the man's life and times is superb! Her book is an enriching pleasure that ought finally to compel honest recognition of this unique American genius.

Many biographies have been written about Richard Wright but this remarkable book gives you a fresh perspective on this man who turned the publishing world upside down with his book Native Son. Unlike the other books written about him, The Life and Times focuses on the personal life of Wright and how over the years he developed as a writer.

Rowley takes us to his home state of Mississippi where we meet Richard Wright as a boy. Raised in a fundamentalist religious family in the midst of poverty, Wright was a true outsider who was not understood by his family or friends. His migration to the north (Chicago) unfolds a new world for him where his writing abilities are recognized and nurtured.

You see a Richard Wright who embraces individualism and won't allow the Communist Party or any other organization to dictate to him how to write. As time goes on Wright takes the step of permanently leaving the United States by going to France. It is there that he finds a freedom never felt before in America.

I enjoyed this book and was surprised about many facts concerning his personal life and writing career. Wright's psychological development and philosophical stances are intriguing. At times he is an outspoken voice against racism but ends up making compromises in his work and personal life. Towards the end of his life, Wright becomes suspicious of those around him. He alienates himself from his family and friends.

Rowley shows us the complexities and humanity of a man who went from poverty to fame and then on a downward spiral into spiritual poverty. What was it that made this man tick? The author does an outstanding job in answering that question and putting him in perspective of his day and time. This is an outstanding book that deserves to be in the libraries of every reader.

Wright undoubtedly is one of the most interesting figures in American literature. He was among the second generation of post-slavery African Americans and received only the most rudimentary education in the segregated South, but went on to be one of the most celebrated literary figures of his time, trading wits with Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre at the height of the French existentialist movement in Paris. In 1941 the eminent sociologist Robert Park summed it up upon meeting Wright, asking simply "how in hell did you happen?"

Rowley's biography is well written and thoroughly researched, and the subject matter is a fascinating one. Wright is probably more interesting as a personality and sociological phenomenon than he was as a writer (it's been argued that Native Son was his one and only true work of genius) but the story of his life makes for riveting reading. Wright's life is a study of contrasts and ironies. He grew up in the injustice and grinding poverty of Jim Crow Mississippi, spent time as a Communist immersed in Marxist doctrine, and after achieving fame and fortune went on to live in bourgeoisie luxury in post-war Paris surrounded by impoverished White Europeans.

This is an excellent biography: thorough, well referenced, and compelling. I give it four stars instead of five simply because it is somehow missing that element that is present in the best of biographies which allows the reader to look into the motives and inspirations of the subject. Rowley includes a lot of facts about Wright's early life (his influences, who gave him his first books, etc.) but I never felt like I understood the reason that this particular Black youth from the Deep South ended up reading Mencken, Chekhov, and Maupassant in his spare time and dreaming of fame as an author. In short, I'm not sure that Rowley's biography succeeds in answering Robert Park's question.

Overall, however, this is an outstanding book. Rowley is an objective and unbiased biographer. Rowley covers not only Wright the author, but also the age in which he lived. Wright was a truly original voice in the history of American literature, and was among the fist to bring the Black experience to American readers. He deserves to be remembered, and Rowley does a fine job of telling the story of his life. Highly recommended.

Richard Wright is a major American author and, as such, deserves a major biography. Up until now, this has not happened.

Sure, there have been previous attempts. Friends (Constance Webb), enemies (Margaret Walker), and scholars (Michel Fabre) have all had their turn, but only Hazel Rowley's account, RICHARD WRIGHT: THE LIFE AND TIMES, can be considered definitive.

The fact that Wright is the subject of a major book in the 21st century is in itself marvelous. Too often, Wright has been dismissed since his death in 1960 by critics, readers, and other writers. That a major publishing house (Henry Holt and Company) would even put out Rowley's work is a testament to the revival of Wright in literary circles.

And Rowley has provided us with a wonderfully balanced account. She recaps the triumphs (NATIVE SON, BLACK BOY), and is not afraid to include the faults (Wright's weakness for casual affairs and his indulgence in psychological babble in later works). What emerges is a portrait of a gifted outsider who managed success in spite of an almost crippling self-doubt.

In chapter after chapter, Rowley describes not only Wright's experience; she manages to incorporate the context of the experience as well. This journalistic tactic is especially rewarding in the passages describing Wright's travels to Spain and Africa in later life (his reactions *to* those travels make sense in the narrative as well). In fact, the book's only flaw is the quick wrap-up; I would have liked to read a summary of Wright's influence, and a few lines about his family today, in the closing.

But this is a small problem compared to what Rowley has achieved. Here, at last, is a clean, readable account of a neglected but nevertheless important figure in American literature. It is to be hoped that the book spurs renewed interest in the actual works of its subject.

I read many, many books as a child, and "San Domingo" has always stuck with me. I just found this book again, after reading it for the first time more than 20 years ago. This is a precious, lovely book, and I highly recommend it for any child, especially those who are adventurous dreamers.

This is a wonderful story. Marguerite writes superb books. This books is about a boy becoming a man and a father becoming a true father to his son. If there was a 10-star rating, I would give it to this book! Excellent story. I definatly recommend it to the horse-lover.

Marguerite Henry was, in my opinion, one of the greatest children's authors. Once again, with San Domingo, she creates a winner.
San Domingo is an exceptional horse, blessed with the medicine hat, considered sacred by Native Americans. He proves himself in the end of the book. There is a sad ending, but I think that even small children would be fine reading this book.

I thought this book was really good!!! I liked it a lot. I think that Marguerite Henry is a great author. I love her books! I thought this book was REALLY good. I would definetly reccomend this book to people!

Peter Lundy loves but two things in his home in Wyoming the mountians and his horse. His father has only one love and sells San for a Thoughbred. Can Peter forgive his father and get his horse back. Here is his story of bad times and good while he struggles to get back his beloved horse. He will not give up even when it seems inpossibe to find him.

Santa's Stuck was used at a recent school board sponsored workshop for teachers. It is an excellent resource for the classroom or library.

We bought this at a book fair at my sons school in October and have been reading it ever since (it's February!) It's adorable & funny and my son loves to yell out the "Puuuull, puuush ... whooooosh! Santa's out!" every time. Very sweet illustrations as well. A winner.

THIS IS A FAST FUN FINE LITTLE BOOK THAT THE KIDS COULD READ TO ME! WE WOULD JUST LOVE TO HAVE A FIREPLACE FOR SANTA TO GET STUCK IN & HAVE ALL KINDS OF CRITTERS TRYING TO HELP OUT!!! I ALWAYS MAKE THE STORY READING TIME AN ALL OUT ONE TWO THREE EVERYONE GETS INVOVLED KINDA TRIP!

This is an excellent book. Fun, cute story. Really nice pictures. Our daughter loves this book and we enjoy reading it to her.

I read my neices and nephews many many childrens' books during the Christmas season and this is by far their favorite one. MY 5-year-old neice laughs and laughs when the mice are pushing Santa up through the chimney. the first time I read this book to her, she had me read it back-to-back three times! The illustrations are great, with lots of detail. I highly recommend adding this book to your Christmas collection. (I also like Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree, The Little Tree and A Wish to be a Christmas Tree.) Enjoy.

In this world of Knowledge and the propensity to believe in things are reasoned by Sciences, this book prods us, that the ultimate is still GOD. I for one, has fallen out a number of times, with an ardent attempt at things secular, despite my inner cravings for a deeper faith in God. This book sets out reminding me of my corporal life and all that surrounds me is nothing, but temporal. It is a rare find, given my recent yearning to return as a prodigal son and my inner inclination to detach all materialism and let it take a back seat. Despite the classic prose as expected of an author who lived more than 100 years ago, I understood his writing thoroughly, although I am not an European nor an American. This, indeed is an oasis of a find for answers from the Word Made Flesh, and is dwelling amongst us. In short, "go get it, all you who wants rest, for His Yoke is light and easy."

John Henry Newman spent most of his long life making the principles of his Christian faith, first as an Anglican and later as a Roman Catholic Cardinal, clear and easily understandable to his audiences. A gifted writer and speaker, his lectures and sermons still resonate today. Although I am neither Catholic nor Anglican, his assurances of God's love and of sustaining faith have always attracted me. Recently, as I have suffered through the final illness and death of my mother, I have found in this volume a new source of comfort.

It is increasingly difficult these days to find true intellectual support within established religion. How good it is to be able to pick up this volume and to read Newman's cerebral discussions and assurances!

Not many words from me. This volume of Newman is simply a "must read." Read and meditate. You'll send some as gifts. It IS that good.

Buy it.

Reverent of, obedient to, and profoundly in love with God-this is what Cardinal Newman is all about, and this is how he encourages us to live. His sermons may be instructive, admonishing, or inspirational, but are always enlightening, challenging, and reasoned. He has a remarkable ability to interpret God's Word in ways that hit home to everyday people. He conveys the sense of urgency with which we must turn from sin, yet understands our nature enough to know it takes time and enormous patience. Well worth reading!!

In this world of Knowledge and the propensity to believe in things are reasoned by Sciences, this book prods us, that the ultimate is still GOD. I for one, has fallen out a number of times, with an ardent attempt at things secular, despite my inner cravings for a deeper faith in God. This book sets out reminding me of my corporal life and all that surrounds me is nothing, but temporal. It is a rare find, given my recent yearning to return as a prodigal son and my inner inclination to detach all materialism and let it take a back seat. Despite the classic prose as expected of an author who lived more than 100 years ago, I understood his writing thoroughly, although I am not an European nor an American. This, indeed is an oasis of a find for answers from the Word Made Flesh, and is dwelling amongst us. In short, "go get it, all you who wants rest, for His Yoke is light and easy."

NICE COLORFUL & IMAGINATION-FULL ENJOYABLE EASY TO READ BOOK!(HATS-OFF!)
THE PICTURES REALLY R VERY PRETTY & WE LIKE TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT SHAPES OF HATS ON THE ANIMALS! (MAKES THE BOYS LAUGH)

Reviewed by Patty Inglish

A severe winter blizzard is coming for Christmas and it alarms the rabbit family to hear it on the TV nightly news. Mother Rabbit asks Little Rabbit if he would appreciate a hand-knit hat, and he agrees that it would be a wonderful gift for him. After receiving his warm and delightful gift, Little Rabbit suggests that all of their friends need hats as well.

Mother Rabbit and Little Rabbit use their creativity to make practical warm gifts for all of their friends to protect them from the storm. They take the Little Rabbit designer hats to town on a sled and distribute them to the other citizens. The townsfolk look doubtfully in the mirror as they don the hats and caps, but thank the Rabbits anyway.

When the snow begins to fly, Horse appreciates his blanket hat and Goose comes to love her neck-wrapping hat, while Deer sees the utility of his lovely antler-covering hat. Sophisticated cat falls in love with hers as well - it makes her look like a lion - and the townsfolk rush after the Rabbits to express profuse thanks.

Back at their home hutch in the storm, the Rabbits have forgotten gifts for each other, but they are happy to have given freely of Little Rabbit's ideas and Mother rabbit's wool, and they celebrate Christmas with a nice warm carrot cake in front of the fire.

If everyone gave something lovely and warm to someone else, no one would want for anything in the storm.

Shall I Knit You a Hat? is a warm and colorful story for children, families, and adults during the holiday season. The story is enchanting and the illustrations are colorful whimsy that is very engaging. With a complete Rabbit hat pattern for infant through age 3 years included, needle artists will particularly love it.

Armchair Interviews says: Special book for the holiday.

I was pleased by this book on two counts. As a knitter I loved the creative and fanciful designs of mother rabbit's hats. I could totally relate to her knitting frenzy during the Christmas holiday.

Secondly, as a mother of three children, I was surprised at how enthralled my children were by the simple story. Well, my 10 year old son (Harry Potter fan that he is) was a little bored by the charming story, but both my 8 yo daughter and 6 yr old son loved the book and fought over who got to look at the pictures after I was finished reading the book out loud. They especially liked trying to figure out which hat was going to which animal when mother rabbit was knitting them. The illustrations are especially captivating and full of detail. Altogether I loved this book and it is sure to be a year-round favorite, not just at Christmas!

I received this book today and I was not disappointed. It's a lovely sweet story with an 'it's better to give than to receive moral'. The illustrations are beautiful and unusual. I know this will be a favourite in our Christmas collection. A must have.

[This review was first published in the "Ephrata (Pa.) Review."]
A blizzard is blowing in but Little Rabbit is ready. His mother has knit him a cozy hat. Little Rabbit worries about his friends, however. He suggests they should receive hats for Christmas too, an idea Mother Rabbit seconds. Little Rabbit designs headgear appropriate to horse, goose, cat, dog, squirrel and deer. The friends aren't sure what to make of the quirky hats--until they see just how toasty the custom designs keep them. This snug story of friendship and mother-child love encapsulates the Christmas message that giving begets joy.

With spare and elegant prose, Loretta Ellsworth tells the story of Evie, who lives in southeastern Minnesota in the mid-1800s. The daughter of a Scotswoman and a German farmer, Evie is by turns kind and ferocious, learning to deal with the death of her mother and the care of a loving aunt she has never met before. There are real characters in this book, painted keenly. Aunt Flo, who comes to live with Evie and Mae and their papa, her brother, is a shrouding woman. I confess to being reluctant to read this book because of Aunt Flo's work with death and funerals. Now I'm sorry that I waited so long. What did people do to care for their dead in a time before undertakers and mortuaries? With gentle explanation and intriguing description, this book is a look at this unusual aspect of history, woven deftly into a richly textured story.

It was great. I loved this book and I think everyone should read it.

This book deals with death on many levels. First, the main character of the story loses her mother which results in her aunt(The Shrouding Woman) to come and live with the family. Real struggles faced by people surface through the lives of these characters.

Not having known what shrouding was, I learned quite a bit about the ancestors of today's funeral home staff. These ladies would prepare the dead for a proper burial.

The book is tasteful in how they depict death. This book is neither scary, nor gross. The respect for human life is obvious. The book is a great peice of historical fiction that sheds light on lesser spoken of aspects of our history.

The Shrouding Woman does a beautiful job of depicting a child's internal conflict when an unwanted strong adult turns up in her life. Evie resists her Aunt Flo at every turn, but Flo, the shrouding woman, is consistent, fair and solid. Ellsworth gets to the heart of a kid's struggle to reach out and accept what is good in her life--even if it isn't what she originally wanted. This is a good read, with a backdrop of lovely detail about life on the prairie, and some great interesting stuff about "laying out the dead."

. . . and this first novel by Loretta Ellsworth elaborates on this theme. It is an unusual novel to discover among books for juveniles but valuable. Life on the prairies in post-Civil War Minnesota comes alive with the everyday-ness of hard times offset by pleasures such as rural celebrations, and growing flowers.

Evie is eleven when her mother dies and Flo, her father's sister, comes to help. While caring for Mae and Evie, Aunt Flo continues to follow her 'calling' as a shrouding woman, one who prepares the dead for burial. Evie, still overwhelmed by mourning for her mother, is somewhat 'put off' by this mysterious practice. The book's theme is presented skillfully and the young girls are shown realistically as often willful and mischievous.

One dictionary definition of "shroud" is to "screen from view" but thankfully this author opens our eyes instead to a part of the lives of early settlers most readers have not known about. Emily Dickinson's words used as preface capture perfectly the poignancy of loss. And her words define shrouding as "the solemnest of industries."

The cover art is outstanding as are the chapter drawings, also by Gabi Swiatkowska. (Thank you!) Smile with reviewer mcHaiku at the notation citing the choice of "The Shrouding Woman" as an ALA Amelia Bloomer Feminist Book for Youth! This also points to the fact that books need to be more widely shared through LINKAGE - to other readership: Juv, YA, and Adult.

Post Script: Readers will find a very different pleasure in Loretta Ellsworth's second novel "Search for Mockingbird" - that propels the reader forward a century plus. These are stories from different eras yet each making a significant impact . . . mcHAIKU hopes you read both.

This book is a must read for students contemplating the change to the real world of television employment. Concise, compassionate and clear, I recommend this volume to all the students who come my way.

This book has inspired me to achieve my dream to become a working actor in Hollywood. At times, it's a challenging path, but this book offers practical and thoughtful tips that will help me to advance my career to the next level. Thank you for giving us this gem of a book, Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno!

There's nothing better than learning and laughing put together. Mary Lou Belli has created a sitcom textbook that everyone in the television industry (not just the actor), should have in their library. From the costume designer & script superviser to the writer & technical coordinator, everyone who plays a part in making a sitcom successful is discussed. You'll learn sitcom terminology and have fun reading comments and stories from legends. There are even quizzes! But all fun! No pulling teeth with this one. Thank you Mary Lou and Phil for this informative book. I'm now ready to go get my sitcom!

This is a must have for actors and writers interested in making a career in sitcoms. Mary Lou Belli and Phil Ramuno thoroughly explain the specifics of each day on a sitcom set. They illustrate the different types of jokes and define what makes each of them funny. And, they pepper the book with fun, informative anecdotes. I will read this book again and again! Mostly, because I can never remember anything... But still, the book is that good!

The authors leave no stone unturned as they walk you through every aspect of sitcoms. Required reading for anyone looking to break in.

This book was published in 2001. I hope it will become a classic which stays in print for generations. When you buy a copy, you might want to buy two (and save one of them for the next generation) in case it goes out of print as so many books do. I agree with the many enthusiastic comments by the other reviewers.

Developing Storytime Programs for children ranging in ages from two to age five, it can be a challange to locate a book which captures the interest of the youngest ones, and gives the older children a "message" they can walk away with.

Snow Ponies worked wonderfully with all age levels. The youngest were mesmerized by the life-like illustrations done by Jason Cockcroft. The older children at the end of the reading gallloped, danced and nickered, imitating the ponies' play.

Cynthia Cotten's magical message of 'Old Man Winter' left all captivated and spellbound. We all viewed snow much more positively! Snow Ponies was a delight to present to an audience.

Developing Storytime Programs for children ranging in ages from two to age five, it can be a challange to locate a book which captures the interest of the youngest ones, and gives the older children a "message" they can walk away with.

Snow Ponies worked wonderfully with all age levels. The youngest were mesmerized by the life-like illustrations done by Jason Cockcroft. The older children at the end of the reading galloped, danced and nickered, imitating the ponies' play.

Cynthia Cotten's magical message of 'Old Man Winter' left all captivated and spellbound. We all viewed snow much more positively! Snow Ponies was a delight to present to an audience.

Shared (in groups of thirty) with five hundred students 4th -6th grade. Beautiful illustrations capture the magical frolicing of Snow Ponies released by Old Man Winter. The rhythm of a winter storm is felt in this simple tale. Adults smile. Children love it.

This book is a delight to the eye, the ear, the imagination, and feelings. Wow! I already summed it up. The pictures are captivating. The poetic text is fun to read and to hear. The imaginary part, the poetic nature, and feelings remind me of 10,000 White Horses by Betsy B. Lee where a child pretends that the foam in the waves contains white horses which she will catch and ride to shore. I think I enjoy both of these books as much as the children do. Like my title of my review says: it is delightful.