Shepard Books

I bought this book for my 5 year old daughter who lives a considerable distance from both grandmothers. This book helped her recall the special feelings of closeness she has with each. She is now 7 and still loves me to read it to her (even though she can read it herself)! The rhythmic lines repeated, "rocks back and forth, back and forth" describing the grandmother's rocking chair motions with her granddaugher in her lap, make it appropriate for kids under 5. And the message conveys wonderfully the special comforting and loving embrace that are a grandmother's speciality. I would highly recommend it.

This is a good book for Kwanzaa traditions. In the story Chris is un-happy because his birthday is on Christmas Day and he has a little sister that does somrthing! He is upset because if he has a birthday nobody will come because of the holiday observance. He gets a surprise. Also Chris wants to be a paperboy and get a bike, but his family is having finantial problems. He gets plenty of good surprises and heart warming moments with his family. This is an excellant, heart-warming book.

All the familiar illustrations from "Now we are Six" collected in a new narrative about Eeyore. Simple and Lovely!

this is a terrific book for littlies. My 23 month old son loves it! He pretends he's reading and it is definitely one of his favourites. It's very gentle. Heartily recommended.

my one year old son loves this book (and the one one Pooh and Tigger). Of all his books, they are the three he grabs the most.

My one year old loves this book (and the one for Piglet and Tigger). A winner.

A well-researched account of devout women in Judeo-Christian tradition, their gifts to religion, and the restrictions placed on those gifts. Kraemer compares developments, both within and between regional churches. In many areas, Kraemer shows, women never lost their right to serve as teachers and deaconesses. As Archbishop John Chrysosthom of Constantinople explained (around the year 400), the New Testament clearly encouraged women to teach, and even to teach males. Obviously it took women to teach other women in their quarters. And if the church forbade females to instruct men, how could a Christian woman ever bring her male relatives to Christ? (Chrysostham,, "First Homily on `Salute Priscilla and Aquila,'" cited p. 188). As Chrysosthom spoke, he perhaps bore in mind a famous mother from central Turkey named Emmelia, whose sons included two major saints of the Eastern Church -- Basil of Caesarea, and Gregory of Nyassa. Emmilia's sons certainly proclaimed their debt to her. And we may wonder how many Christian teachers ever raised up better students than this woman.

With attention to step-by-step increments, Kraemer measures the growing restrictions on women's devotion. Where male leaders tried to stop females from serving the sacred meal, on suspicion they might be menstruating and pollute the host, the women could always hold their own ceremonies for females only. The women of Salamis (in Asia Minor) certainly did so, but then their Bishop, Epiphianus, complained of self-appointed female priests who presumed to conduct their own services:

"They attempt to undertake a deed that is irreverent and blasphemous beyond measure -- in her [Mary's] name they function as priests for women. ... For some women prepare a certain kind of little cake with four indentations, cover it with a fine linen veil on a solemn day of the year, and on certain days they set forth the bread and offer it in the name of Mary." (p. 166.)

Kraemer follows this theme northward as Christianity spread into Europe, moving into regions with ancient traditions of reverence for local holy women. In these areas, local priests often treated support from female leaders as a blessing rather than a corruption. Therefore, in 494, Roman Pope Gelasius felt he must castigate the overly permissive priests of Lucania (Portugal):

"As we have learned to our anger, such a contempt for the divine truths has set in that even women, it has been reported, serve at the holy altars. And everything that is exclusively entrusted to the service of men has been carried out by the sex that has no right to it." (p. 132.)

In detail and sensitivity the book is very illuminating. It gives a history-long overview, showing how great a role the mothers and daughters of Western religion have played.

--author of "Different Visions of Love"

Nor can you ever really go wrong with Mr. Cutler. In these 5 brief glimpses into his world, Herbert passes through his various transformations (chicken, elephant, etc.) finally ending up as Herbert the Herbert. Young children crack up when you read it to them aloud in a lot of funny voices.

The text consists of pairs of antonyms.
This is a simple pattern for students of English as a second language to follow.

Here Come the Purim Players! deserves ongoing mention as a fine Purim tale. Shoshana Mekibel illustrates this tale of two men and their fellow Jews in Prague who escaped description. An appealing story for young Jewish readers.