Johnson Books

This is a travel guide for people whose priorities are food, beverage and the social order of eating out. Though centered in New Orleans, it also lists valuable food resources throughout the cajun country of Southern Louisiana. The book is well laid out, features excellent maps and gives the reader a wonderful feel for the local vernacular. Most pages feature great color photographs. Best of all for the traveler afoot, its small size allows you to slip it into a jacket pocket or purse.

Pableaux is my cousin. As I read through my copy, I jumped to the 'Biscuit Torture', 'Keeper of the Nog', and my grandmother's quiet relishing of a homegrown tomato and a 'pinch' of salt. It was like going back in time and savoring it all over again. I'm not writing because he's my cousin, I'm writing because this book is a great read. I have purchased it for nine friends in the Chicago area. It is informative and concise as well. Great job paul...

I have really enjoyed this book and the way it was written. The author gives you history, science, culture, restaurant recommendations, recipes and other local "need to know info" that will be helpful as you mosey around Louisiana looking for good food.

I am originally from south Louisiana and would highly recommend this book to anyone visiting or even to someone living in the state.

This is the travel guide for those whose preferences include food, beverage and the social order of eating with others. No hotel listings or must sees for the ordinary tourist. Though centered in New Orleans, the book also includes valuable food resources throughout the cajun country of Southern Louisiana. Great photos make this a nice souvenir or even a gift for the armchair tourist. It also has great maps and sense of the local vernacular. It's small size makes it easy to stash in a pocket or purse for the traveller afoot.

This book was bought for my son. He said: It goes behind the scenes of the earth bender and it shows lots of details about the Earth kingdom. I liked it.

We have the entire series. My son loves them all.

I have seen the movies and I like this book because I learned the legend of Omashu, that wasn't included in the movies. Each of the "Scroll" books have 3 different legends. This book is not a cartoon book, it is more of a chapter book. There are lots of pictures, some not from the movie. If you really want to know more about Avatar I recommend this book.

For fans that are always seeking to always learn more about the world of Avatar, I definitely recommend these Lost Scrolls; not only do they contain resumed chapters, but also information that is not mentioned nor in the series. One really learns a lot.

This is another title that reminds me why truly excellent books are named by the Chief of Staff Air Force to his annual reading list.

Anyone interested in 20th century American defense and the emergence of the military/industrial complex should include this in their reading.

History buffs will love this book. Roll and McFarland have done an exception job in explaining a very interesting and important part of our history--the lead-up to WWII, the election of Truman, and the preparation for the Korean War--through Louis Johnson, assistant secretary of war and secretary of defense. The style of the book reminds me a lot of No Ordinary Time, an exception book by Doris Kearns Goodwin. A great read.

It was fascinating to read about a fellow West Virginian's trials and tribulations in Washington. The book improved my understanding of the politics surrounding the US entry into World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. Moreover, the story of Louis Johnson serves as a great cautionary tale of how naked ambition can derail otherwise promising careers in government and politics.

This history can be fairly grouped with McCullough's "Truman" and Acheson's "Present at the Creation" for any study of postwar (WWII) national and international politics. I found it a quick and easy read, informative and well written.

I got a number of these books for my 4-year old nephew for his birthday, and he has absolutely loved reading them.

"Magenta's Visit" is the first book ever in the series of numbered "Blue's Clues" book releases. Both Blue and Steve are excited to have Magenta over and Steve wonders what Magenta's favorite thing to do is. We play Blue's Clues to figure out what it is.

Much of the fun in this book centers around Magenta's visit. She and Blue play together throughout the house and have some fun with dress-up. We also look in on some of our other friends' favorite things to do. We play with Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper, Shovel and Pail, the felt friends and Tickety.

The opening note states that the book focuses on skills such as visual perception, associations and problem solving. One great example of this is with a set of photos taken at close range which readers try to identify.

This book is loosely based on the events of the episode "Magenta Comes Over." It's a wonderful choice for the first book in the series and should appeal to all fans of the show.

My sons love this book. Every page has something for kids to figure out. They can find where everyone is hiding and figure out what close up picture belongs to which person. It's good book for any fan of blues clues.

My sons love Blue's Clues and everything to do with it. Theylove this book too. We have read it many times. Not many stories haveMagneta in them so I think that is one reason why they like this book.

A Super Must Have book for anyone who's creative.

If you're new to Microsoft Image Composer, then you must get this book. Brian Johnson writes with clarity and humor which takes the intimidation factor out of learning this program. While MIC makes web graphics creation as easy as it gets, it's still a great help to have a guide to lead you through the short learning curve. Brian Johnson inspires confidence. With a little patience and this book, you'll be cranking out graphics like a pro. Power users of MIC may not lean anything new, but for the price, it's a good reference tool.

My FrontPage CD included the Microsoft Image Composer, but Inever really made much use of it. Then I bought the "Dummies'book and realized how much I had been missing. The first fourchapters, alone, were worth more than the price of the book. I recommend it to anyone who is at all creative, and not just for web sites.

I must give this book 5 stars. I am not a big fan of the " dummies" series nor am I new to web graphics. I had sooooo much trouble with MIC , even the bottun editor. I bought every book I could find and there wasn't many. This book was the winner, it did help clarify what Microsoft found it so hard to make easy. I do prefer Illustrator or even Freehand but if you are forced to use MIC this book you must have!

Easy to use lessons, projects, and ideas for the middle-school drama teacher or coach. I liked that you could pick and choose what works best in your program. I think every middle-school teacher should own this book, not just drama coaches - the creativity and energy and response will enlighten any classroom.

All my life I have wanted to write a book. I knew that I would do it someday, I just didn't know what the subject would be. Combining my love of theatre and my desire to help teachers teach drama in unique and creative ways lead to this book. It is filled with imaginative projects that really work, not only for teaching theatre, but you can use the projects to work collaboratively with other teachers. This book brings students and teachers together to do drama. It is my journey. I hope that you will make it a part of yours.

I teach middle school drama to 8th, 7th, and 6th grade every day! Approximately 600 students rotate through my curriculum each year! The activities presented in MIDDLE MANIA have prompted me to revamp my whole approach in teaching drama. They are fun, creative, easy to do and feel a lot less stressful than continually preparing for large-scale productions. What a gift! Thank you for sharing, Maureen!!

Almost as soon as I began reading Johnson's book, I was thinking of individuals in our school with whom I could share it. Although it is written for theater teachers, it's useful for any teacher or administrator that might occasionally need an activity for community building. The book is written for middle school environments, but the ideas could easily be transformed for high schools or elementary schools as well. The chapters consist of seven different activities that promote involvement from all students, even the shyest, that are also fun for adult moderators. A few of the activities include Mask/Movement, Clan Drama: Solving a Mystery, and Rock `n' Roll Playwriting. Step-by-step instructions for developing and organizing the projects are broken down into chapter sections. I especially like the preface that summarizes each chapter and activity into single paragraphs. Following the activities, Johnson provides curriculum summaries, assignment sheets, grade assessment charts, and reflections on the book's projects. Every school should have at least one project. Highly Recommended.

Kathi Appelt honors the first lady and reminds us that Lady Bird Johnson changed the way we look at the landscape. Joy Fisher Hein's joyful illustrations capture the beauty of the flowers and Lady Bird's gracious and loving spirit. Check out Hein's website to see the thank you letter she had from Mrs. Johnson about the book. Based on the number of copies I have cataloged at various libraries I know that this book has joined dePaola's The Legend of the Bluebonnet and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush as a must-have in every school library in Texas.

As I reflected on Mrs. Johnson's passing this week I recalled that this past spring was one of the longest seasons for flowers that I could ever remember, and I've lived here a long time. Maybe it was the rainy spring weather or maybe it was just a last glorious burst of color to honor her. I do know that she left us a precious gift.

Another excellent best of '06 selection from American Horticulture Society. Our garden club gave this book to a 3rd grade classroom in an effort to encourage our youth to take care of the earth. The illustrations are a joy and the message is what we need to be spreading.

When the Bluebonnets bloom in the spring, is a wonderful time to read Miss Ladybird's Wildflowers. Almost forgotten, Lady Bird Johnson had a huge impact on our environment. This would be great for EARTH DAY. Kathi's writing reads beautifully, and I have used this book in my library for a read aloud. I was surprised how many of our young teachers didn't know who Lady Bird was. Lady Bird helped to beautify our highways by eliminating billboards and seeding wildflowers. The real bonus in the book is the chart of wildflowers on the last page, and then to have students find them on the pages, as they are woven thoughout the splendid illustrations. You will not be disappointed and I hope it will be a must for all libraries.

This is a picture book type biography of First Lady Bird Johnson. First we learn of her childhood. We learn that her nanny gave her the nickname ladybird. She was playing with her one day and said she was as pretty as a Lady Bird and the name stuck. We then learn that her mother died after a tragic accident. She fell down the stairs and never recovered from her injuries. Her father then tried to raise Lady Bird on his own but he wanted a better life for his daughter. He asked one of her aunts to come and help take care of her. Aunt Effie came and shared her love of flowers with Lady Bird. As Lady Bird grew up she meet and married Lyndon Johnson who later became the president of the United States after Kennedy was shot. As First Lady she worked hard to help the nation heal from the shock of losing Kennedy. She knew how much flowers meant to her and how much join they brought to her life so she decided to share them with the world. She set our on a campaign of her own to plant wild flowers along the interstates.

What did you like or not like about the book?

At the end of the book were pictures and titles of various wild flowers. Some of them I had never heard of before. I learned a lot about wildflowers through this book.

It was funny and clean. Reminds me of Minnesota hunting season. Would recommend it to any one.

A game warden is murdered in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on opening day of bear season. Little Donny, Gertie's grandson, has gone missing. The warden was murdered at Little Donny's tree stand.

Gertie's son, Blaze, is the sheriff, but he is after Little Donny as he thinks he is the murderer. Gertie believes in her heart that he's innocent.

Gertie and her two friends, Kitty who also believes she is Gertie's bodyguard, and Cora Mae who is after all the men, set out to find Little Donny, prove his innocence, and find the real killer.

Grandma Johnson, Gertie's mother-in-law who lives with her (against her wishes), doesn't make things easy. Then when Little Donny's mother descends on Gertie to await word on her son, Gertie kicks it up into high gear.

Blaze keeps trying to get Gertie for driving without a license. She keeps working at dodging him.

Gertie and her associates are a hoot. I love this series. You never know what Gertie will do next. I wish I knew Gertie. She sounds like she'd be a lot of fun!

The setting of Michican'ts Upper Peninsula is great. It really adds to the story.

I highly recommend this book and series!

Deb Baker's MURDER GRINS AND BEARS IT has hero Gertie back in top form. Against the wishes of her son the local sheriff, she gathers her associates, her fake badge, and her stun gun and sets out to solve the murder of a game warden. You don't have to be familiar with Michigan's Upper Peninsula to enjoy Gertie's antics, but if you have been there, it will be no surprise to meet this little old lady who drives without a license and investigates without a qualm. Gertie is hilarious, she's fearless, and she's priceless.

The Stephanie Plum of the geriatric set is back in Deb Baker's sequel to Murder Passes the Buck. Having decided to create her own (unlicensed) investigative agency "The Trouble Busters," widow Gertie Johnson acquires the auctioned-off, vandalized sheriff's truck (that sheriff is Gertie's son and that she was the vandalizer is another story) and arms herself with a trusty bag of weapons that includes a taser, cattle prod, mace, and handcuffs. What she's not ready for is the body that is discovered near a hunting blind with the main suspect being her favorite - and missing - grandson. While her son is determined to keep her off the roads (Gertie never managed to learn how to drive or get a license), Gertie sets out to prove Little Donny's innocence with a posse that includes her single and predatory best friend Cora Rae, the police dog that Gertie unintentionally managed to get fired, and her self-proclaimed bodyguard Kitty.

Once again Ms. Baker has created a hilarious mystery that whips along to a dramatic finish. Gertie is plagued with family members who hinder her as much as they help, yet her love for them always shines through. Moments of laugh-out-loud humor are balanced by Gertie's vulnerability as she battles to protect her grandson and ferret out a murderer by following the clues that her son ignores. This Yooper Mystery series continues to grow stronger and readers will be eager for Gertie's next appearance.

I purchased this book for my 5 year old daughter who is in PreK. They are singing the Florida Alphabet at their graduation next week. I got to see a practice round of the song at school and learned there was a book and CD package to have her practice at home too. The book is wonderful with beautiful illustrations and all the words for each letter of the alphabet. It shows the arm movements to accompany each letter to make it more fun. The song is very catchy and fun to sing along with. The only problem is the song will be in your head all day! I would recommend this set for any child learning their letters and sounds.

This was an awesome Book and CD set. My class of 4 and 5 year olds love it. We even performed it in our Preschool Graduatioin !!!!

Kids love this book and song. It is really neat watching your child sing along and do the movements shown in the book. My granddaughter who is only 4 learned this song with movements in a day and never stopped singing it for a week. She loves it. I really think it is worth the money. We both sing it now and do the movements and she lets me know if I get something wrong.

We picked up a copy of this book directly from the authors as a gift to my 3 year-old daughter about a year ago. Back then, she wasn't too crazy about books due to her short attention span, so we just read/sang that book and showed her the motions for each letter before bedtime.

Now, only 12 months later, she loves reading this book. We let her pick from her selection of about 60 books each night and this one pops up at least twice a week. What's cool is that she has a lot of fun singing the letters and now she will do the motions with us too. She is just now at the age where she is making the connections between letters and the sounds they make. I suspect she will hit three letter words within a month or two.

If you have trouble getting your kids to find enjoyment in learning their letters, this book will do the trick. But you have to go through all the motions, that's reading, singing and (literally) going through the motions. Pretty soon you AND your child will be having a blast as you teach them to read.

This book had me glued to my chair until I finished. A GREAT read about a tough topic. As the mother of daughters, I have to say Varian Johnson achieved something really special here. To explore the realities (and the real choices/decisions) of teen pregnancy without preaching in any way is very difficult. The characters are realistic, the writing is great, and the story is gripping. I highly recommend it.

This book is a must read!!!
I read it in one day and I just couldn't put it down. This is the first book I've read about teen pregnancy and I think the author did a splendid job. He talks about abortion but the author does not take sides for it or against it.
The only downfall I had was the language, I think the author could have left out the cussing. Other than that it was great!

This novel features two teenage girls who become friends: a girl who has had an abortion and a girl who is pregnant. I like the author's nonjudgmental approach to the ways the girls dealt with their pregnancies.

But this is not a mere "issue book" about coming to terms with pregnancy. There is family strife, romance, friendship issues, and typical teen stuff such as prom and cliques and worries about college. And there are even math theorems, for those inclined. It's a fun read that will make you think too.

Rhombus: a parallelogram with four equal sides and sometimes one with no right angles. -Merriam-Webster online dictionary

On page one of this story, the reader meets the narrator, Rhonda Lee. Rhonda is a senior at Piedmont and tutors after school at West Columbia Community Center. Upon entering Piedmont, she was popular, but things have changed since she was a freshman. Enter Sarah Gamble - a junior, a cheerleader, popular, and forced by her mom, Justice Gamble, to find a tutor to help her with math.

What starts out as Rhonda's animosity towards Sarah and all of the kids like her at their school soon turns to a mutual understanding between the two girls. After their second tutoring session, Rhonda has deduced that Sarah is pregnant. With a simple "How far along are you?" by Rhonda, the friendship begins.

As Sarah struggles to come to terms with her pregnancy, and her ultimate decision, flashbacks by Rhonda fill the reader in on her history and previous pregnancy. Rhonda has shut herself off from anything but her studies and her goals to get into Georgia Tech on a scholarship. Her friendship and support to Sarah help her realize that past mistakes do not have to limit your future happiness. And so evolves the story, and the eventual outcomes of the choices each girl has to make, ultimately on their own.

Wow, what a great story! From the start, I didn't want to put the book down. And if it weren't for having to get up for work the next morning, I would easily have read the entire book in one sitting. As it was, I had to wait until the following day to complete it.

The most surprising thing is that the author of the book is a male. The story is told in the first person by a female. Mr. Johnson tells the story simply, without preaching, nor without choosing sides between pregnancy and abortion. He makes you think about the choices each girl has had to make with their lives, and how they will have to live with those decisions. Mr. Johnson is able to do that convincingly, even as a male. Reading the questions to the author at the end of the book, it was interesting to find out that the original concept of the story was meant to be written as an adult book, told from Rhonda's father's viewpoint. He has captured the struggles of teen girls perfectly, and the story is quite believable.

A similar story is Angel's Choice by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, but Mr. Johnson's book has even more depth and emotion. Because of his uncanny ability to portray teen girls without coming across as knowing the right answers, I bestow a Gold Star Award on this book.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr