Park Books

I am so grateful to have had the synchronicity of finding "The Energetics of Business" just as I was beginning to write my business plan. Ms. Callaway confirms for me so much of what I believe about business and gave me the courage to pursue my dream. The book provides a holistic approach to starting a business and is so very appropriate for the times in which we are living.

Having studied business in school and having started several flops and one really successful business I found Callaway's concepts right on target. There are so many things that go into creating a successful business that can't be explained or borrowed from business formulas and technical know how. The human component of business creates such a random factor in any businesses success or failure. The word Energetics comes as close to capturing this most important source of business capital - its people and how they function as a whole. Callayway does us all a tremendous service through simple explanations and real life studies that point out how Energetics cannot be ignored in the pursuit of business success.

This book has been very helpful in the development of my vision. All businesses are living entities and the author helps the business owner work in the energetic to interact with the business as such. I have read many business books and this one is the only one I have found that addresses my business as a living energetic entity and hooks into space and time. It is a completely new vantage point for technology that has been around for thousands of years.

This book could not have come soon enough. Not only does it give the reader very practical tools for setting up her own business- but it's a guidebook that teaches one how to marry intellect and instinct. We all have an inner business voice, the voice in our heads silently critiquing the business owners we have worked for over the years. By following outdated business models and submitting to fears about change, so many executives and managers leave no room for the educated risks necessary for each employee and their companies to reach a high potential. Outdated and fearful business structures stunt both the growth of the employees and the company ultimately suffers or fails. Thank you Ms. Callaway, for showing me how to merge my creativity and instinct in my own new business, for showing me fearlessness and the path to easy abundance.

I could not think of a book more sorely needed in the sphere of business, nor of a time more appropriate than now. Currently in the process of setting up my own company, 'The Energetics of Business' has provided invaluable insight not only into the practicalities involved, but also into the evolution of a living, breathing entity which inevitably takes on a life of its own. The flow of energy and intent that allows this to take place is truly fascinating and Ms Callaway certainly knows what she's talking about, providing essential information in a user-friendly and deeply supportive way. All in all, a must-have guide for anyone attempting to begin to live their dream, or build on an existing one, in the world of business. This book should give them the confidence and the building blocks to do just that!

The Franciscan is a well written book. The plot weaves mystery and intrigue into the inner workings and leadership of the Catholic Church. The characters of Dom and Symon have dynamic personalities, and are the kind of people I would love to join and have an adventure with.

It was a thriller that I couldn't put down until I finished it, and it had an unexpected ending that couldn't have been better. I look forward to reading the second book in the series.

It's here! It's published (The Franciscan)! It's about murder, suicide, extortion, assassins, devilish plots - and the result is a narrative with more twists, turns and terror than a roller coaster ride through purgatory. It's a ride worth taking.

Park has shown that he has the imagination and talent needed in this genre. The Franciscan is an exciting and intellectually stimulating work. There's never a dull moment.

It's here! It's published (The Franciscan)! It's about murder, suicide, extortion, assassins, devilish plots - and the result is a narrative with more twists, turns and terror than a roller coaster ride through purgatory. It's a ride worth taking.

Unexpectedly thrust upon the throne of St. Peter by dark forces within the church, this pope is trying to institute a radical agenda of change while contending with assassination atttempts, murded, suicide, kidnapping and political intrigue....and then things get really ezxciting.

A good read for those looking who want to go get more results out of meetings. If anyone is leading your meetings and is doing it in a dysfunctional way, give this to them. It will help. The book Leading Groups to Solutions: A Practical Guide for Facilitators and Team Members is also good to give to those who need help. It is a little different this one, but helps with groups and team meetings. Overall a good solid 4 stars!

This is a revised and expanded edition of a book which has proven especially helpful to those responsible for planning and conducting meetings but also to those who need to improve their presentation skills in other situations such as when meeting with a supervisor (e.g. to provide a progress report) or with a client (e.g. to make recommendations concerning new initiatives). Kelsey and Plumb are professional meeting facilitators who also train others to become effective facilitators. In this new edition, they share much of the same material found in the first edition (Great Meetings! How to Facilitate Like a Pro) but develop it in much greater depth, in response to extensive feedback which they have obtained since 1997. They respond to questions such as these:

What distinguishes facilitation from meeting organization, process design, process coaching, and organizational development consulting?
How to achieve effective group dynamics?
How best to prepare for a meeting?
How to design a great meeting?
Which three basic process steps are involved?
Which tools are needed to generate and evaluate ideas which result in appropriate decisions?
How to maximize a group's potential?
Which skills are need to promote positive communication?
How best to avoid or resolve conflicts?
When should a facilitator intervene in a group discussion? (When not to?)
How to enhance the group discussion with graphics? How best to integrate them?
Which personal issues are most significant to effective facilitation?

Kelsey and Plumb offer countless suggestions as to What to do, How to do it, What NOT to do, and Why. Those who are relatively inexperienced in terms of meeting facilitation will probably derive the greatest value from this book but I think it can also be of substantial benefit to others in need of fresh perspectives, sharper skills, and additional tools as they prepare to facilitate the next group meeting. When concluding this brief commentary, I presume to share a few thoughts of my own. First, make certain that there is a compelling need for a meeting. Second, include only those who are essential to the success of the meeting. Third, share the agenda in advance. Fourth, identify specific objectives and limit the discussion to achieving them. Finally, make certain when determining next steps that each task has an "owner" and a deadline. Follow up to ensure that everyone follows through. Without direct accountability, nothing will be accomplished.

This book is 15% theory, and 85% practical tools and techniques. Anybody responsible for facilitating any kind of meeting will find this book to be a treasure trove of helpful ideas, and welcome wisdom. It's light-hearted and easy to read. I'd be comfortable giving it to somebody quite inexperienced in running meetings, but also found much that spoke to this seasoned practitioner.

As the authors note in their introduction, "Meetings take planning and preparation to be successful. Agendas need to be designed carefully ... Managing a meeting takes a host of facilitation skills and a full bag of process tools." This book addresses all these needs in a very direct manner.

Wonderful book. As an organization consultant and facilitator I give it away to clients; sell it to people I'm training; gave it to my son and son-in-law to help them understand faciltation - and lots of other stuff as well.

It is much richer than just meeting management. Buy it! you'll find it really helpful.

I have used Great Meetings alongside several other facilitation texts for several years in a course on group facilitation in the Conflict Transformation Program at Eastern Mennonite University. Recently a student in our program wrote an enthusiastic review. She has many years of experience as a community facilitator and has demonstrated herself to be highly knowledgeable and competent. With permission of the author, Phoebe Kilby, owner of Sympoetica, phoebek@sympoetica.net, I post it below. This is a review of the 2003 edition of the book. The book has been republished in a 2004 edition.
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Until I read Great Meetings! I thought the The Facilitator¡¦s Fieldbook by Thomas Justice and David W. Jamieson was one of the best books I had read on facilitation. I have used the latter a number of times as a reference to help me solve particular facilitation challenges. Now reading Great Meetings!, I found myself inspired to raise my facilitation to a higher level. Great Meetings! provides insights into facilitation as an art and by doing so I think it inspires more creativity.

On first reading, one might think that this book is just a beginner¡¦s introduction to facilitation. Actually, I have taught graduate courses in urban planning and would use this book enthusiastically if I had the opportunity to teach again. A great deal of most planners¡¦ work involves meeting facilitation, particularly facilitation of citizen task force meetings and open public forums and workshops. Even though I have been facilitating for many years, I still found this book very engaging and can see its potential usefulness. It is not organized like a reference guidebook. Rather it takes the reader through the whole process of planning for and conducting a meeting as well as various facilitation techniques in an easy-to-read style that is better consumed in one reading and taken as a whole like a novel. The writing has a flow that allows a more holistic understanding of facilitation. This is helpful for students and seasoned facilitators alike.

I found the conclusion of the book particularly insightful. Here is where the authors expound on essence of facilitation. Facilitation, while improved by technical skills, is really an art. It is not predictable or formulaic, because people are not so. Each time we work with people in a group, we learn something new about group dynamics. This requires us to respond in creative ways. Great meetings! encourages us to use our creativity.

I also enjoyed thinking about the facilitator as being on a continuum between meeting planner on the one end and therapist on the other. Arnold Mindell in his book Sitting in the Fire approaches facilitation very much like a therapist and in my opinion goes too far into group therapy to offer useful guidance to persons lacking his level of training in psychology. The Facilitator¡¦s Fieldbook is perhaps too formulaic and closer to the meeting planner end of the spectrum. Great Meetings! I think strikes the right balance.

Also, Great Meetings! is the first book I have encountered that describes well the type of facilitator that we planners often are ¡V the facilitator/expert. We are rarely purely facilitators. We facilitate meetings as just one part of our practice, since we are expected to be experts in urban planning and thus to offer advice to our groups on technical planning matters. The authors legitimize this role by articulating the primary reason why this has always seemed acceptable to us. While we have ¡§content expertise,¡¨ we do not have a stake in the outcome of the group¡¦s work. In other words, most of us now accept that we are here to help communities evolve into the type of community the citizens would like. We are not here to tell them what to do, but to help them to discover their goals and to help them find ways to achieve the goals.

Another set of insights I gained from this book that I have not seen in other books on facilitation are ideas about the ethics of facilitation, and particularly, when to say ¡§no.¡¨ Planners should ask themselves the questions on pages 161 and 162 before they agree to facilitate a project. Recently, I turned down a consulting job for one of the reasons the authors cite; it was ¡§a thinly veiled attempt for someone to put forth his own agenda.¡¨ The mayor of a small town called me to ask me to help a steering committee prepare a draft land use plan. He admitted to me he saw no point in this exercise, except that the county was pushing for this as a precursor to annexation. A developer had already given the mayor a plan for the annexation property that the mayor thought was just fine. He clearly was going to use the process as a way to legitimize a decision he had already made with no idea of really consulting the steering committee honestly. I was not comfortable with what appeared to me to be a sham of a process, so I declined. Another consultant took the job, and I had wondered whether I had been smart to give away work that another consultant was glad to have and told me so. This book helped me confirm that I had made the right decision.

I looked for weaknesses in Great Meetings!, but could not find much to report. It may be more difficult to use as a reference guide than The Facilitator¡¦s Handbook, but on the other hand, the chapter headings in the table of contents are clearly written and should be all you need to find the information you seek. Some of the warm-up exercises presented on pages 95 to 102 could appear lame to some groups or appear to trivialize the importance of the meeting if it involves a major conflict. On the other hand, the exercises are creative and fun. Perhaps, they would allow creative solutions to follow.

I found many more strengths than weaknesses. The book provides some good ideas on proper attitudes for facilitators on page 10. These are worth repeating:
„X Servant of the group and its process
„X Respect and compassion
„X Positive
„X Flexible
„X Non-defensive
„X Neutral
Other books may cover most of these, but I have seen few talk about compassion. This is something we all need to strive for, even (or especially) when there are difficult people in the group.

The book¡¦s discussion of group dynamics, while not an academically in depth analysis, is presented in a very accessible, comprehensive and easy-to-use way. For each group dynamic factor, the authors on pages 20-22 provide possible implications and/or interventions for facilitation. We are given insights into group dynamics, and then are provided tips on how to deal with them. This type of practical advice is carried over into the discussion of the various stages of group development: forming, storming, norming, performing. Many facilitation books discuss these stages. This book also provides specific tasks for the facilitator to carry out at each stage.

While I have said that this book is not like reference book, it does offer a few excellent checklists, like the meeting preparation checklist on pages 36-37 and the meeting location and facilities checklists on pages 48 and 49.

I also liked that the authors not only provide clear descriptions of problem solving tools, they tell which ones to use when, that is, when you are:
Defining and analyzing the problem
Visioning the ideal goal or preferred future state
Gathering information
Generating ideas
Clarifying, evaluating and narrowing options, and
Making the final decision
Planners could develop a whole process containing a series of meetings using this outline and the appropriate problem solving methods for each stage in the problem solving process.

Finally, I think the intervention case studies in Chapter 10 are very enlightening. They illustrate well how the various facilitation techniques can be used in plausible settings. These case studies would be particularly good reading for students who do not have much practical experience. Even seasoned facilitators might have an ¡§Ah! Ha!¡¨ moment, when they say, ¡§Oh that¡¦s what I could have done instead.¡¨

So, facilitators, read Great Meetings! one evening and enjoy a practical non-cookbook, non-academic guide to the art of facilitation.

Heart of the Desert Wild, first book by author Greer Chesher and first complete book for photographer Liz Hymans, won the nonfiction category at the Utah State Book Awards in November 2001! Last year Terry Tempest Williams won that award, and the competition was excellent this year - the third year Utah has participated in the Library of Congress, Center for the Book's program. In addition to the usual information found in interpretive books, "Heart of the Desert Wild" features an opening chapter that describes the importance of public lands in general and this monument in particular. Ms. Hymans, one of the leading professional panoramic photographers in the US, illuminates the text with 135 magnificent photos, and Ms. Chesher's text is both informative and a pleasure to read.

This is an excellent book. If you've never been to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument -- and few have -- you'll want to see this book. It's like a voyage to another planet. And if you have been there, you'll certainly want to have this book. It's a memorable summary of an unforgetable place. The photographs of panoramic photographer Liz Hymans are spectacular -- breath-takingly beautiful. And the text by Greer Chesher graphically captures the amazing details of this exotic land. My words, however glowing, can't do justice to the scope and wonder of this book. So I'll just save my effort -- and save you reading more of this dull review -- to say: Go look at the book itself! You won't be disappointed.

This book does a beautiful job conveying the sheer beauty of the new Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument in its photographs, while also presenting a comprehensive and well-written account of the geology, ecology and human history that makes this part of Southern Utah such a trasure. Is is noteworthy that the pictures give a balanced view of the whole area and don't just reiterate the usual postcard images. The text is aimed at a general readership, without "dumming down". And, yes, I found answers to many things I had wondered about (cryptogamic soil, coal beds, etc..) on my visits.

This book is almost certainly the best book currently out there about the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, if for no other reason than the photos alone. The writing isn't bad either, and the whole book gives a good overview of this amazing monument.
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is an almost 2700-square-mile area of southern Utah set aside by President Clinton in 1996. The area borders Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, stretches for miles up to Bryce Canyon National Park, Dixie National Forest, and Utah's "forgotten" national park, Capitol Reef.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is bigger than Utah's five national parks put together, and bigger than the entire state of Delaware. It protects one of the largest areas of wilderness remaining in the lower forty-eight states--an area that includes thousand-year-old piñon and juniper trees, countless canyons and mesas, and an estimated 100,000 archeological sites including pictographs, pit-houses, and rock shelters. The monument includes the Grand Staircase--a series of massive cliffs and benches that form a natural desert staircase only a giant could use; it includes the 1600-square-mile Kaiparowits Plateau--a long plateau of scarcely explored mesas; and, it includes all the canyons of the Escalante River that aren't within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Many people, including the authors of this book, I presume, consider the monument to be only a good thing--and it might be--but there's a lot more to the issue.
President Clinton made it a monument without seeking approval from Utah's governor, its congressional delegates, or the people whose incomes and livelihoods depend on the area. Utah's small town locals were so upset that they wore black armbands, released black balloons, and lynched dummies made to look like Bill Clinton from their lampposts. President Clinton didn't even dare come to Utah for the monument's dedication. Instead, he held the dedication in Arizona, on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, an over one hundred-mile-long drive from the monument itself.
The Utah townspeople of Tropic, Henrieville, Escalante, and Boulder all feared that the monument would take away their grazing land, and that it would interfere with their ability to earn money extracting coal, gas, and oil from within the monument--and it does. That's the idea, I suppose. It's supposed to stop people from mining and developing the area, and from ruining an irreplaceable wilderness.
But the ranchers that used to graze cattle there have REALLY had a hard time though. They depend on grazing land to make a living, and the government has tried a lot of tricks to sneak the ranchers' sheep and cows away.
The book doesn't really talk much about the impact the monument had on the area's people, like the ranching families that have lived there for well over a century. I've had the opportunity to meet and interview a few of these families, and was amazed that many of them were left completely unable to support their families in the way they had for generations. I've heard stories of the government rounding up and selling the families' cattle without their permission, even though the monument's rules techinically provided for the continued grazing rights of the local families.
Anyway. Overall, this is a great book. The photos are beautiful, and it's well put-together. But the area is more than just a pretty, historic place. It's home to a lot of people, and those people have long been part of this area's history.

I am a Colorado Plateau freak who probably has better than 50 books on the area, and who has taken at least a dozen vacations to the area. Of all of my own books and some I don't own, but have read on the area, this is one of the very best.

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was created in 1996. It was long overdue. The monument (And it should be a full-fledged National Park, IMHO.), preserves the most single significant block of Cretaceous strata in the world, numerous exquisite arches and slot canyons of exceptional size and beauty, tremendous geological faults, colorful, spectacular rock formations, fossilized animals and plants, and irreplaceable Native American relics and structures. The area is still being explored and more of these and other wonders are being located each year.

This excellent book covers all of these matters and more in considerable written detail. Magnificent color photography follows the text and lays open this wonderful country for all to see. The text is carefully drafted, and the photos follow the text very well.

If you never have the good fortune to visit this area, this book will give a very fine glimpse into the need for its preservation. If you have visited it, as I have, the book will evoke countless pleasant memories. IF YOU ARE GOING TO VISIT IT, for the first time, or on a repeat basis, read this book thoroughly to make intelligent decision about what to see and do, since you can't possibly see it all in one trip.

This book receives the highest recommendation.

My 2nd grader does not like to read. I bought these cds to encourage the reading process. Just starting in chapter books this year has been a huge change from simple picture books. Reading the books along with the cds has helped the books seem more interesting and easier to get to the end without getting distracted.

We bought the entire Junie B book collection when we were on holiday in the States last year as they are very difficult to buy in Australia. It was so exciting to find that they were available on cd! Lana Quintal reads them so, so well. My two kids (aged 6 and 8) love them so much that we've had to stop them listening to them at bedtime (which was why we bought them!) as they weren't getting to sleep! Too busy listening (and giggling!). The only slightly annoying thing is that you have to change cd's half way through stories. Not a big thing, just a little inconvenient is all. We have a 10 hour car trip coming up in a few weeks, and I know that we are going to be relying heavily on these to keep us sane!

My seven year old daughter and I just love listening to Junie B. Jones. We usually do this on the way to school in the morning and we are always laughing by the time we get there. Great way to start out a morning!

Me and my kids love to listen to the stories of Junie B. in the car or at home. Great narration. It will make you laugh!

Picked up our first CD at Wendy's. We've been hooked ever since. My kids love listening in the car. Great item.

Linkin Park is my favorite , I just adore them. I ordered there book and I'm waiting for it to arrive , but I have to tell you , if LP rules so much there book MUST be cool , I mean it features my favorite 6 guys. LP fans , based on previous reviews this is the book for you AND me. :)

With more than fifty pages of in-depth text,this book tells you the history of Linki Park.Many pictures I have never seen before are also in this book.Highly recommend this to all LP fans.

if you want to know it, this book has it. This book tells the history of the band, even a little about Chester's old band! It's got awesome information and great pictures. Every LP fan should own this

All in all, this book was 5/5, but the problem was, when I was starting the hang of it, i thought it had more pages to be read, but its only less information, oh well.. this explains the forming of the band, where they met, how they started, the Hybrid Theory days..... Chester's band called _xero_ was also mentioned on the book, i really recommend this!!!

This book is awesome. I was up all night readin this. Linkin park die hards this is the book for u. Keep it, tresure it, do whatever u have to. I know i will.

Superb Book !!! I agree this book is one of the best books on Richard L. Proenneke life - A+

This book follows the daily life of Dick Proeneke as he lives in his log cabin in the Alaska Bush. He lives delibertly in the moment and enjoys life and manual labor. He is a gentle man who loves nature and is very spiritual without being religeous, to me he is the essence of Zen ,but he probably has no idea what Zen is. Something in this short little series of notes in this book,is almost like medicine. Something that we desparately need in this society of fame chasers,greedy sychophants,capitalist consumers, a quiet little message ,powerful and direct. Dick Proeneke got one up on us...

This book, unlike One Man's Wilderness by Sam Keith, gives us Dick's own words. The editor, a friend of Proenneke's, honored his request that, if this part of his journal were ever published, his words and phrasing not be changed in any way. So what you get here is Dick's own phrasing and manner of speech - which is folksy and direct.

Proenneke was disappointed that Sam Keith heavily edited his prose in One Man's Wilderness (which is obvious if you read both books) and he refused to have any more of his journals published without a promise that no editing would occur. If you are a fan of Dick Proenneke, this is the best and most authentic look at his life. It contains an introduction with a brief biography which, although short, is the only such work that we have.

This book is a superb sequel to "One Man's Wilderness" and is excellent reading in its own right. John Branson thoughtfully answers many questions about Mr. Proenneke and provides numerous helpful footnotes tying together people, places, and events.

Mr. Proenneke takes the reader to an amazing, but, as I know from having hiked and camped there, also a harsh wilderness. Through his day-to-day accounts of a life lived simply and optimistically, and in tune with his environment, he presents a compelling model for how to appreciate the world around us, whether a wilderness or a city.

I enjoyed reading a few entries at a time. I look forward to the hopeful release of the remainder of the Proenneke journals.

This guy was amazing. His descriptions are wonderful and really make you feel like you know the guy. If you want to try before you buy it's also available at the NPS site in a PDF (www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/lacl/proenneke.pdf)

I bought this book before going to Acadia Natl Park. It was incredibly helpful. Our exploration of the Park Loop Road was more interesting because of all the helpful info in this book. Loved the pictures. Very representative of the actual places.

I can't wait to get there in late Summer '06!
This book is great for anyone planning on visiting Acadia National Park.
If the park is only half as beautiful as the pictures in the publication, I can't wait!
I've already planned several routes to run and ride (bicycles) while we are there.
Thanks!

After throughly reading this book through 3 times I have come to the conclusion it is a wonderful book full of useful information. The pictures alone are beautifuly taken giving reason enough to purchase this book. Also Mr Thayer is an excellent chemistry teacher and I hope after reviewing this comment he will raise our grades

An excellent overall introduction to Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island. Good overview of geology and natural and cultural history. Provides up-to-date information on roads and hiking trails. A wonderful guide or souvenir of the Acadian experience.

All of the books written by Robert Thayer convey the true beauty of Acadia National Park. Robert is an outstanding photographer/ author and is an inspiration for my own work. I have seen many slides of Roberts work and I am always impressed. I give this book my highest recommendation for any person interested in learning about Acadia, nature, wildlife, and especially photography. He also has 3 other books available on Amazon.com of an equal caliber.

My first graders loved this book! The details in the illustrations kept them captivated. We felt like we were really on a roller coaster ride! My kids wanted to read it over and over again.

I use this book to teach 3rd graders about force and motion. The students love the book--after I read it, they build their own roller coasters using foam pipe insulation and marbles.

I read this story to a kindergarten class who really enjoyed it. One little boy listened with his two arms up "roller coaster" style imitating the twists and turns and "Wheeeees" throughout the book. A lively discussion occurred about whether the little girl should go on the coaster for a second ride. The writer/illustrator captures the intensity of feelings that we've all experienced on a roller coaster.

My boys (ages 5 and 3) love the story about riding a roller coaster. The pages showing the whole roller coaster ride are their favorite ones. They love to trace the coaster's path with their finger. When we read the story they act like they are really on the coaster taking the turns and loops with the people on the pages.

Beautiful artwork and colors. Pages could be framed art.

I think I've finally pinpointed what it is about Marla Frazee I like so very much. It isn't her choice of stories necessarily (though after reading through her "New Baby Train" I know she has excellent taste). It's her people. Somehow or other she managed to give every tiny person in her books a distinct and completely original personality. I can't figure out how she does it either. The ultimate example of this has to be her fantastic 2003 creation, "Roller Coaster". Taking a concept so simple that I'm wondering why thousands of other authors hadn't thought of it first, Frazee walks us through the process of riding a roller coaster. From the first moments of anticipation to the final plunge and disembarking, our author/illustrator has taken a simple concept and turned it into picture book gold. Whether you've a kid fascinated by roller coasters, deeply afraid of them, or has never even HEARD of such contraptions in all their days, "Roller Coaster" is designed to delight and amuse.

A long line of people appears at a fairground. Ahead of them is a roller coaster named, "Rocket". As the line gets closer to the front, "Lots of people change their mind about riding the roller coaster at the very last minute". At long last, twelve lucky people climb into the cars. Some of them are excited while others appear calm and collected. Suddenly we're watching the people on the ride as they experience a simple variety of twists, turns, and loop-dee-loops. The passengers (each pair has their own particular story) deal with the roller coaster in a variety of different ways. The tough guys feel ill. The couple who appear to be on a first date snuggle closer as the ride goes on. The elderly couple in the straw hats adore every wild minute. And the little girl in the front becomes a roller coaster enthusiast by the end. The ride is done. The people get out. And the little girl insists on riding the coaster one more time.

The way Frazee sets up the book, the reader is bound to sympathize the most with the little girl who is riding a roller coaster for the very first time. It's wonderful to read through this book several times and catch the consistently interesting details that progress as the ride does. It took me several readings before I realized that the couple on the first date weren't all snuggly at the beginning. And there's a great moment where a woman, traveling with her son on the coaster, adjusts her hair carefully at the start only to end up with a slightly modified afro by the end. The tough guy who opts out of the line (and is derided by his buddies for doing so) stands over his two nauseous friends at the end of the book. Heck, even the tiny woman reading a red book at the very very first page is visible looking at the tough guys with concern at the book's end. Only fellow picture book illustrator Anno could be said to offer us quite as many tiny details. I love the sheer number of interracial couples in this book, by the way. Leave to Ms. Frazee to give us casual diversity where other illustrators would offer us none.

So let's recap. The story is fun, the illustrations whiz-bang (for lack of a better word), and the book a joy. Frazee even appears to include her own inside jokes in the story. Though I have no just cause to believe this, I am completely convinced that Marla Frazee inserted her husband and three sons on the first two-page spread of the book. There's something about the man's goatee that just struck me as a little too... knowing. Not that I have any evidence to back this theory up with, of course. But that's what's so nice about "Roller Coaster". Even when you've read it twenty times over, there's always something new to look at and enjoy. Great for kids, irregardless of their reading ability.

RUBY ANN'S TRAILER PARK BOOKS JUST MAKE ME LAUGH. THERE ARE GOOD RECIPES THAT ARE EASY TO MAKE AND FUN TO EAT. YOU DON'T NEED TO LIVE IN THE SOUTH OR EVEN A TRAILER PARK TO ENJOY THE FUN.. READING THE MANY BOOKS OF RUBY ANN. BE CAREFUL..YOU JUST MIGHT LAUGH VERY LOUD!!

I saw Ms. Boxcar at the Melbourne Writer's Festival in Australia, and she's bloody marvelous. Once you stop laughing, you will find that this collection of recipes is wonderfully tasty. The sauces alone breathe life into the old barbie regulars. What she does to beef is sinful! So if you are looking for a great food and great fun, this is the one.

This BBQ cookbook is filled with creative BBQ recipes and spectacular sauces that make you want to run to the kitchen and start cooking once you stop laughing. Ruby Ann is, no doubt, an authority on down home cooking and this book shows how her food and her humor have evolved from the first witty cookbook she wrote. I have tried several recipes, and they were all great, specially the sauces, and the meats.
If you want to impress your guests or family next time you BBQ, this book has many many recipes that will make you show off your cooking skills. And it is a kick to read. You will be sure to wipe away a tear from both the heat from the spice in the hot sauces and the humor in the entire book.

I ran across this while I was looking for a good barbeque book. The cover caught my eye, but the recipes grab hold of my taste buds and wouldn't let go. I ended up buying this book and when I got it home, my wife told me that she had one of Ruby Ann Boxcar's first cookbooks. She asked me if I'd read it at all and I told her that I'd looked at a lot of the recipes. Well, while I prepared the dinner and cooked up the Sassy Sauce recipe, my wife started reading the book aloud. We laughed and laughed all night long. Even during dinner, my wife and I would switch off reading the stories in-between bites. And the sauce was great. Since then we've cooked up all the sauces and a lot of the meat selections, and we haven't been disappointed yet. We even like the Dr Pepper chicken. We've also bought the rest of her books and have become the life of the party when we attend gatherings because we bring one of her recipes with us. People can't wait to see what dish we will uncover. I would highly suggest that if you are looking for unique, tasty, simple to make BBQ, as Ruby Ann calls it, then get this book. And it also makes a great gift for your boss, brother, dad, or any other man in your life. Even though it is funny as can be, it is also full of mouthwatering recipes that you can cook out on the grill or even inside on your Foreman grill.

I loved her first two books even though I'm not one for cooking so to speak, but I laughed the entire time I read them. And then when I saw this one online, I thought there was no way she could top herself. Well, I was wrong, and she has done it again. I took this with us on our family vacation across country, and while I drove, my wife read the book to us. There were a few times we actually had to pull the car over! Plus we used several of the tips and a lot of the recipes that Ruby Ann has in this book, and they were fantastic! I love the sauces. Since Ruby Ann and her neighbors will eat any type of BBQ, this book has a great mix of the tomato based sauces as well as the Eastern non-tomato based ones. And the recipes are so easy to make that I was even cooking a little this summer. What she does with meat should be illegal it is so good. Plus she also fills you in on what has been going on with the people of the High Chaparral Trailer Park since her last cookbook (the holiday one), which makes her series a sort of an All My Children meets Green Acres meets COPS meets the Food Network. I have to give this book two BBQ sauce stained thumbs up! Thanks you Ruby ann Boxcar.