Smith Books

Great from point A to point Z guide to raising and caring for beef cattle- an easy read with a lot a valuable information. I would not only recommend this book to someone else in my family looking to start raising cattle- I would buy it for them myself! -- Mike Jorden

When we started raising beef cattle a couple of years ago, we had a difficult time finding information on the subject. This book has been an invaluable reference, covering a variety of subjects from breeding and feed to healthcare and handling. The book is well-written and well-organized, and it's clear that the author has years of real experience to draw upon.

I am a novice rancher who bought 37 calves at an auction. At one point I had 15 sick calves on my hands, primitive corrals, and the whole town laughing at me. Tonight, I can honestly say the worst is past. My brother and I doctored ten bad eyes, saved a bloat case, doctored a footrot immediately and effectively, and saved at least five extremely ill pneumonic calves, while vaccinating, branding, and eartaging the whole bunch. Without this book and the thorough, intelligent, and courageous instructions it gives to the cattleman, I would have lost a good part of my herd, all my joy for ranching along with them. As it is, the town isn't laughing anymore and starting to wonder where we came up with all those good ideas they're seeing popping up on our place.

Well written and easy to understand guide for everything you want to know about cattle. I learned much and constantly refer to this book. It helped me to better understand our cows and their needs. I HIGHLY recommend it to other cattle farmers, even those who think they know all about cattle.

While a bit redundant @ times, I found this to be an excellent treatment of cattle-raising. I am a novice to "cattle ranching" and have found it very useful and easily read; also, well indexed. A few "oldtimers" have found it very useful and have asked where they can get one. The practicality is enhanced by good illustrations.

This is a beautiful cookbook ... good enough to put on the coffee table. Delicious recipes that made me want to take another trip down to Santa Fe.

The photographs of Santa Fe and its Farmer's Market take the reader halfway to that beautiful place, but it is the smells and flavors that come from cooking these recipes, that transport the reader to the land of the high mesas, Georgia O'Keefe and crystal blue skies.

Having been fortunate enough not only to travel to Santa Fe several times in the past few years, but also to take classes from Janet Mitchell (the author) at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, I can recommend this cookbook without hesitation. It offers tried-and-tested recipes that yield a wide range of dishes and flavors unique to a very special part of the United States. I will be buying this cookbook for friends and family for years to come.

I have enjoyed this cookbook so much, that it has become my current favorite hostess gift! The recipes are wonderful, and I appreciate the variety of the suggested menus. Most of all, this book educates the reader with "Chefs Corner" tips and a lengthy explanation of southwestern cooking terms and proceedures. Learning how to properly roast vegetables has given a healthy boost to my repetoire, as well as introductions to other southwestern staples.The pictures are also very appealing~ this is just a delightful cookbook that I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in colorful, healthy food.

I have used several of the menus, and have received rave reviews from all my guests. Everything I have made was FLAVORFUL,TASTY AND INTERESTING. Many of the recipes easily lend themselves to advance preparation - I prefer to spend time with my guests, and not cooking in the kitchen. There are recipes for all levels of expertise, and my 12-year old daughter has made several of the dishes. The recipes interpret historic Santa Fe cuisine in an innovative contemporary style. I am so happy to have added Summer in Santa Fe to my cookbook collection....

This absolutely gorgeous book immediately brought back memories of an idyllic summer stay I once enjoyed in Santa Fe. While the recipes themselves are quite nice, it is the photography, history of the city, and evocative intros to each section of the book that make this cookbook really stand out. The layout and design of the pages beautifully conjure the city too, with southwestern woodcut borders decorating each page. From the ripe, prettily plated blueberries on the cover, to the darling little boy in the giant sombrero in the fiesta section, this book is truly a feast for the eyes!

This is a beautiful book, inside and out. The poems are thoughtful and well-written, and the cover makes a beautiful addition to any library. The poet's personality shines through his work.

This book is gentle, tender, thoughtful, and engaging. I've met the author, and it was like meeting the real Santa Claus. The man is as kind and good as his poems. The poetry is interspersed with small amounts of intimate prose speaking directly to the reader, and I felt, when I read, as though I were sitting with the author in his kitchen conversing of innermost subjects.
The quality of this book is amazing. The designer has built a wonderful keepsake.

I am delighted with this small volume of poetry. It is poignant and wonderful. I have bought enough copies to send to friends and family as gifts. Beautifully written, beautifully printed, it is nice to read before bed.

R. E. Smith brings the reality of life into perspective with words that will melt your heart and provide an understanding for what you didn't know you could possibly feel. His writings of friendship, romance, life, and love bring your emotions to life. A Sweeter Understanding makes a wonderful gift for people of all ages...a treasure to give and to enjoy.

A sweeter understanding. Isn't that what we all want and need? Friends, family, love, life--connectedness. Smith's poetry has helped me find it.

Here is my favorite poem from _A Sweeter Understanding_.

"Love's Muted Memory"

The breath of love expires
just beyond the ear of anticipation.
A perfect union is realized
in the understanding relationship
of the ear
and the softly uttered sigh.

................................

I rated this book at four stars because I am holding that fifth star in sweet anticipation of Smith's next volume of poetry, _The Window Ledge_. Write on, Mr. Smith.

I received my book in amazing speed, it was brand new and in excellent shape and at a wonderful price. Good service

There has been a good amount of effort to photograph the various teardrops and smaller trailers. In most photos there is also an older vehicle, which, while interesting to car colectors, does reduce the amount of written text on the main subject.

This book is a very good item for those interested in the teardrop and smaller trailers and is a wonderful addition to a collectors library.

As an owner of a 1973 Compact Jr., I was eager to see this book. I could not be more pleased. It's great. It has wonderful photos of a great mixture of teardrops and small trailers. You will not find a better general coverage of the topic.

An interesting read for trailer aficionados, novices, RV and even tent camping enthusiasts. Excellent photography, engaging and concise history. I keep a copy in my teardrop to lend to campers who ask for a tour and more information. This book's "tiny trailers" are non-teardrops like Shasta, Serro Scotty and other "canned hams." Good value, great book.

A wonderful book with illustrations and descriptions of modern and historical teardrops. Shows a wide variety of teardrops and tiny trailers. Lots of detailed pictures.

This review pertains to the 2004 hardcover "Phoenix Edition" reprint. I must also confess that at this moment I have only made my way through half of volume 1. I feel it necessary to give potential buyers a "heads up" about this set: it is, as described, a massive work of mid-1800s scholarship. It was assumed at that time that anyone who would be reading such a work would be able to read Latin as well as Old High German, Old Norse, Anglo-Saxon, and a smattering of other medeival languages.
The author spends most of his time NOT telling mythical stories as the curious dabbler might expect, but instead chasing down obscure linguistic clues imbedded in medeival texts, place names, and quaint figures of speech in an attempt to reconstruct some sort of Germanic mythology (for which documentation is lacking) from its hypothetical parallels in Norse mythology (for which documentation is abundant) and the mythologies / religious beliefs / superstitions of surrounding races such as the Saxons, the Gauls, even the Greeks and Romans. This process is dull, dry, tedious, and to someone not fluent in Classical and Germanic languages, incomprehensible. If you love philology you will love these books, but if you want to be thrilled by tales of the Old Gods, stay away!! Herr Grimm does not tell many stories; all the cool stuff is quoted from his sources, and whatever of that isn't in Old High German is in Latin. _Untranslated_ Latin. BEWARE!!
Don't get me wrong; I do not regret owning this set, and I have every intention of finishing it - I'm just saying it's going to be unexpectedly difficult for me, and I can only recommend it for those with a Serious Interest in the subject. The information Grimm presents here is dense and staggeringly thorough - and it is, in a way, a very enjoyable read: the book has its own soporific charm which provides an almost physical pleasure from reading it. An entire mysterious world of unknown language and dimly-comprehended episodes from Latin chroniclers yawns before me. Should be a fun trip.
Nevertheless, my review must bear a mere 3 stars as a warning to those who only want to be thrilled by the mighty adventures of Thor: look elsewhere. This is not the right book for you to start.

This is thoroughful and extremely good edition of the phenomenal book. Naturally, several scolars later made some corrections on some subjects. Nevertheless Jacob Grimm's work inspired H.Heine, R.Wagner and many other men of genius. One cannot overestimate the 'Teutonic Mythology' even now. In a way it's a monument of human imagination, of both oral and written creations made during the centuries by the individuals as well as by the folks. And it still be and will be an inexhaustible source for our both knowledge and imagination as well.
Only one thing I would dare to suggest. Many fragments J.Grimm quotes in Latin, Greek etc... For the future editions I would translate all of them even it could take much space - up to an additional small volume. So, this unique book would be understood by much wider circle of the readers.

Yes, a few years ago I plunked down the over a $100 cost for this recently put back in print four volume set. I don't regret spending the money. Criticisms I have you have to wade through a lot of linguistics/philology stuff and for whatever reason, even though this is supposed to be the English translation, there is still a fair amount of material in German and Latin. But there is all kinds of great stuff in this. Not for the beginner or someone with just a casual interest in the subject matter but this is a must have for any serious student of northern European culture, folklore or Odinsim. What is it about so many books written in the 1800's being superior to 99% of whats been published in the past 50 years?

This is required reading for the true student! Can be a difficult read at times, but the knowledge and world view contained therein make it a treasure!

So Dover Publications has now (2004) reprinted "Teutonic Mythology" under the "Phoenix" imprint, apparently in two formats (bindings). I look at my copies of the previous (1966) Dover paperback edition of James Stallybrass's 1883-1888 translation of Jakob Grimm's "Deutsche Mythologie," with the four volumes bound in different colors, and I feel terribly old.

They were purchased at less than a tenth of the publisher's current asking price (well, one volume was a gift, but I'm looking at the cover prices), and I feel grateful that I bought (three of) them in the early 1970s. At the time, that still seemed a lot of money for paperbacks, even trade paperbacks, but I have had decades of use out of the set, which is still holding up well. (Dover then still used signature-stitched bindings and high-quality paper; their claim that their paperback books would last as well as hardcover editions was well founded. If Dover does reissue them in paperback, they will probably be less durable and, inevitably, more expensive.)

Read with care, and with frequent reference to modern text editions, translations, and studies, the "Teutonic Mythology" is still a mine of information on the religious ideas, customs, and common metaphors and figures of speech (supposed to be fossilized beliefs) of the ancient and early medieval Germanic peoples (the continental Germans, the Dutch and Flemings, the Scandinavians, and the Anglo-Saxons), and much else in medieval literature. Everyone knows the Grimms from the fairy-tale collection, but individually and together they wrote and edited much more. (For some reason, Jakob Grimm [1785-1863] almost always appears in English as Jacob, but his brother Wilhelm [1786-1859] never seems to become William.)

The "Mythology" in particular is constantly cited in the older secondary literature, so it is nice to be able to find such references. On many occasion it has clarified for me an obscure argument carried out by long-dead scholars with page-references to Grimm's then-definitive treatment of the issue (although sometimes I have had to work out the relation of the pagination of an unseen German edition to the English text -- not fun).

More important, for my purposes, it was a handy reference for what would have been readily available knowledge in the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the early twentieth. They are very useful indeed, if you are interested in Richard Wagner's versions of Germanic myth and legend, or those of William Morris. Or, particularly since this is a translation, if you want to see what was available to the young E.R. Eddison, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, among many others.

(For that specific purpose, the only thing really comparable in scope they might have read was Benjamin Thorpe's three-volume "Northern Mythology" of 1851, which was briefly available in a one-volume omnibus paperback from Wordsworth a few years ago. In terms of information available to its learned author, Thorpe's book, which I have reviewed, was largely a less systematic English Grimm, with more extensive summaries of Norse sources, and some excellent additional evidence from folktales. It is not quite so dated, but mainly because it was not so ambitious; whole topics aren't even mentioned, so Thorpe couldn't have made any mistakes about them. For the intellectual and cultural background, Andew Wawn's recent (2000) "The Vikings and the Victorians: Inventing the Old North in 19th-Century Britain" may become the standard reference.)

Thomas Shippey in particular has pointed out several places where Tolkien invented Middle-earth "solutions" to passages where Grimm expressed confusion over contradictory data. Tolkien would eventually have gone directly to the German text; Lewis mentions reading Grimm in German, but seems to mean the Fairy Tales ("Kinder- und Hausmaerchen").

In addition, Grimm's appendices (in the fourth volume of the translation) assemble an extraordinary number of important non-literary medieval (and later) texts in one place; genealogies, spells, penitential guides, lists of superstitions, dialect terms. Although as editions they are antiquated, having them in one place proved convenient on a great many occasions. (For example, Valerie Flint's 1991 "The Rise of Magic in Early Medieval Europe" cites later editions of several of them, none readily accessible to me.)

Given the present price, although I'm delighted that Dover has brought the whole set back into print simultaneously for the first time in years, I'm not urging everyone interested in Germanic myth and folklore to rush to buy it. (Even with the current -- November 2004 -- Amazon discount.)

And not just because of the price. This is a monument of scholarship from the first half of the nineteenth century (1835; second edition 1844); almost everything in it has to be viewed with at least a little suspicion. Grimm already recognized that there were problems. A good part of volume four consists of additions and corrections to the text, which he had hoped to incorporate in a third, and fully revised, edition. (His publisher instead reprinted the three-volume second edition text in 1854, and called it the "Third Edition." A posthumous editor arranged the notes in order, to be printed as a supplement in a "Fourth Ediiton," and Stallybrass followed this practice, instead of tampering with the original.)

Throw in the expense, and there is reason for suggesting other places to start. I mention this age factor because the amount of antique misinformation I have seen gleaned from it, and presented as current, sometimes explicitly dated 1966, is a little frightening. And I expect to see more examples, with the 2004 date of the Dover Phoenix edition in the citation.

Stallybrass called his translation "Teutonic Mythology" to reflect that Grimm was using "Deutsche" in the widest possible sense, instead of a nationalistic one; the more recent term would be "Germanic." But for almost a century, beginning not long after after Jacob Grimm completed his work treating *all* the Germanic-speaking peoples as a continuum, the best surveys and handbooks, and almost all serious scholarship, carefully distinguished Northern (Scandinavian) from Southern (continental German) evidence. Surveys in particular were generally restricted to one or the other; usually "Norse Mythology," with a few citations from the continent. While some of Grimm's comparisons -- or the conclusions drawn from them -- were of dubious legitimacy, denying the validity of such comparisons *in advance* pre-determined the nature of the argument. Apparent exceptions generally quickly reveal themselves as second-hand Grimm. Those scholars who did survey the whole field were often concerned to prove that the medieval Scandinavian texts were late and unreliable compared to nineteenth-century German folklore. (If it looks "primitive" [crude], it must *be* primitive [early].)

The closest thing to a scholarly modern successor, the two-volume "Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte" by Jan de Vries, was severely criticized when it appeared in the mid-twentieth-century for returning to Grimm's comprehensive approach. (The author was under the influence of Dumezil's then-recent work on the original unity of Indo-European mythic and religious concepts, and the controversy has moderated with time and familiarity.) Unhappily, de Vries's "History of Old-Germanic Religion" is still not available in English. But there are substitutes in English which, taken together, are almost as comprehensive, as well as much more reliable than Grimm alone.

For the serious-minded beginner, John Lindow's "Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs" or Andy Orchard's "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth & Legend" (and variant titles) are far better and more reliable guides to the Scandinavian evidence, with Rudolf Simek's "Dictionary of Northern Mythology" filling in some of the continental material, along with copious linguistic information reflecting an additional century and a half of research. I would strongly urge anyone new to the field to have at least one or two of these at hand whenever Grimm is being consulted; definitely Simek on matters linguistic, if possible (the book is currently out of print, although a reprinting of the paperback is scheduled for Spring 2006). All three (which I have reviewed separately; I call attention to some of Simek's shortcomings, but his book is mostly first-rate) have extensive bibliographies. Some of Lindow's extended articles come closest to Grimm's chapter-length treatises.

However, when all is said and done, there is something to be said for these four antiquated volumes. Like Aristotle, Jakob Grimm produced a "premature synthesis" of knowledge, and, as with Aristotle, even the errors of a first-class mind are worth pondering. And a lot of it *is* dead on right.

At some point "Teutonic Mythology" should be consulted by anyone interested in Germanic studies, or medieval literature, or folklore studies, or comparative mythology -- if only as an act of piety. Having hardcover and library-bound editions available may make this effort more likely than it has been in recent years. And maybe it will, sooner or later, be back in paperback form.

I hired the author years ago as a Cajun Creole consultant and learned
how knowledgeable she is. I have bought her book on that cuisine five
times over the years since it is the bible of NEW ORLEANS cooking.
I was thrilled to see she has done the same for TEXAS. Not only is the
book beautiful but it is destined to be the bible for Texas cooking.
I am using some of the recipes in my tex-mex restaurant Copabanana.
I just returned from Austin and the Hill Country and the photography
and recipes made me long to return. Bill Curry, Philadelphia.

NPSBookie order # 464878 One book, TEXAS ON THE PLATE arrived in a tiemly fshion. However, the spine was broken, and prompt communications from NPSBookie offered a refund since they had no other copy for exchange. I countered with request for a discount. They agreed to a $3.00 discount, and I accepted since I could use the book personally rather than gift as I had anticipated.

This is a wonderful cookbook. I've made 4 recipies from it that were absolutely outstanding. One recipe in particular...the spanish rice is above and beyond. I think it's because neither me or my husband are big fans of spanish rice and I made it on a whim. It's so good that he's asked for it a couple of times since I made it.
Pictures are wonderful and because I am a Texan I am very pleased with the fact that it's written by someone who has lived here for a long time the recipies are exactly the kinds of things that we would eat.....
I've recommended the book to friends and even bought another one for a gift.

The recipes are wonderful and the book itself full of gorgeous photos, drawings and, in general, just wonderfully produced. I'm buying several for Christmas gifts for out-of-state relatives and friends. I'm new to the state and this is a fabulous introduction to the food and customs.

Definitely goes "beyond bbq and chili" to wonderful fusion of the traditional and the most up-to-date. You will not be sorry you bought this.

Terry Thompson-Anderson has produced a marvelous collection of Texas recipes, beautiful photos of food and scenery from around the Lone Star state, and a wonderful contribution to the exciting new Texas cuisine that is sweeping the southwest and beyond. As a native Texan I found the book not only a delight to the eyes, but a wondrous and far-ranging assortment of recipes with ingredients and influences from all over the state. Of special note are such heady entrees as the "Slow-Smoked Quail on Savory Bread Pudding withThree-Chili Sauce" (using Scamorza Cheese from the Mozzarella Company in Dallas) and the "Grilled Medallions of Venison Backstrap with Ancho Chili and Honey Sauce" - fabulous! Throughout there are wine recommendations from the growing number of Texas wineries; definitions of cooking terms and ingredients; and a "Texas Cook's Pantry" telling where to find hard-to-get ingredients. Texas on the Plate is a delight to use and a pleasure to read.

This book is basically about Michael W. Smith's song, This is Your Time, and what it means. The song was written for Cassie Bernall, the Columbine High School student who was supposedly asked if she believed in God, and answered yes, before she died. The book is really good, I recommend it. the only thing, it gets a bit preachy at times, which I hate (and yes, before anyone asks, I am a Christian), but it's a really good book. it'll help you find insight. read it. you wont regret it.

This was a great book. At some points, very moving. My mom was reading the begining to me and had to stop because she was crying. The main idea of this book is: How Michael W. Smith came up for the idea of the song, THIS IS YOUR TIME. He got it from Rachel Scott after the Columbine shootings. This book also tells of some of MWS's own struggles and triumphs. It is a great book. A somber one at times, but true to the core. Please read this book and pass on its message: THIS IS YOUR TIME! MAKE IT COUNT!

Even if you haven't heard Michael W. Smith's album of the same name, you should read this book! I highly recommend this book for everyone, but especially for teens who face the difficult task of trying to grow up in today's mixed-up world.

The title of the book, "This is Your Time", is also the title of a song he wrote after the Columbine tragedy. Michael tells about his experience singing at the memorial service and talking to Cassie Bernall's parents (check out my review of Misty Bernall's book "She Said Yes"). But this book isn't just about Columbine. Michael talks about the death of Rich Mullins (which deeply affected me as well) and Rich's impact on people. Michael also was a good friend of the late Bob Briner (author of Roaring Lambs) and he encourages Christians to get out there and make a difference.

He quotes Hebrews 12:1...

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Amen!

(You might want to check out my other reviews of Christian books and music)

What a great book to read! This is really a good time to evaulate our lives in a modern world with a message to all that the test is yet to come.

May it be the next munute, hour , day or month we should try to do our best work. Smitty does gives some personal highlights of what he is doing to make his moment count, as we should make our time count.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and kept reading until I finished the book (it was a good time reading and getting to know him).

If you don't know Michael W. Smith, musically or as an author, this book is a great introduction to his spirit. His telling story of the Columbine tragedies affect on himself and what we all can learn from it is time well spent. Read the book, listen to the song, reflect on the meaning. Works like these in words and music bring some strange value to a tragedy at a time when we increasingly are asking "why"?

As others have said, this is so much more than a coloring book. I have a serious illness that really limits me and the time that I spent coloring these added so much to my days plus the fact that I could then display them so that I could look at them over and over. I have a wall that I displayed them on along with other stained glass designs that I love to look at. It is definitely a great book to add to any collection.

I use watercolor in these books. I've made some beautiful suncatchers with "my" artwork from this book.

I love stained glass. I think the stained glass coloring books are fantastic. This one has so many wonderfull designs in it. Glad to have added it to my collection.

This coloring book is so beautiful, you might be afraid to color on it. The artwork is wonderful and detailed, and it's a great book for older children and adults.

The book presents 16 color images on its covers.
The patterns on 16 pages are translucent black and
white patterns suitable for enlarging 300-800%.
The "coloring book" misnomer disguises the books use
for serious stained glass makers.

Had trouble putting it down, was sad to learn it's a first and only book. Wish I could read another by Martin Smith right away

As good now as it was then...a timeless read, worth reading! A classic suspense yarn, the kind that keeps you stuck to the pages, aching to know "who done it?" Smith creates and handles his characters with such ease you are convinced they are real and in fact they stay with you, following you from room to room long after you've put the book down, pestering you to keep reading until you know the whole story. If you like suspense, you will love Time Release!

I stole moments wherever I could find them to finish reading this book. The characters are well drawn, imperfect (like life is imperfect), but you also get involved with them, and want to know what happens to them. I could heap more praise on this book like everybody else has and repeat the same old words to describe it, but suffice to say that this is an excellent thriller. One that will hold your interest to the end. I've already bought his second book because I have to see what else this man can do with words.

If you like the TV series "Homicide," you'll want to read this book. The complex, unorthodox plot is told from the perspectives of three men--a washed-up cop, a troubled pyschologist, and the stoic son of a serial-murder suspect--each of whom harbors his own terrible secret. The three are locked in a desperate psychological tug of war, and only two of them will survive it. The characters are unglamorous, at times awkwardly imperfect, and utterly believable. Perhaps the best thing about "Time Release" is the sense of place. In the author's hands, the hard-edged gloom of rustbelt Pittsburgh becomes an oddly beautiful setting, and an apt metaphor for the torturous inner landscape of the protagonists.

The title of Time Release gives a clue to its story. First, it concerns a killer who used pain relief capsules, as well as other techniques, to set off a series of poisonings. Second, it focuses on repressed memories and if, when and how they will come out. The author does a credible job with both themes, though I would have liked to have seen a little more interaction between Sonny and Christiansen in earlier therapy sessions, which would have provided a few more clues to the behavior of Sonny's family. Without this explanation, the climax came a little bit out of left field for me. The detective's confession to Christiansen came suddenly too, without much reason. These quibbles aside, the book was entertaining, with the major characters nicely drawn.

I received this book as a Christmas gift around 1980, I believe. I cannot tell you how much this book meant to me as a girl. I must have read it about 200 times. My mother recently moved and was going through all our childhood things and found the book packed away. She gave it to me. I was so delighted because I thought I'd lost the book years ago. I sat down immediately and read it again. And yep...its still as good as it ever was.

I am a ballet dancer. I have been dancing for 15 years now, and this is still one of my favorite books. I was introduced to it when I was about 5 and it facinated me. The whole story seemed true to what I knew about ballet and Stephanie, the main character, lived my biggest dreams! For years, I only borrowed it from the library, and soon it was one of the most worn in their collection! Finally, we moved away and the next library didn't have it, but Mom found it at a used book store and bought it for me. I ended up meeting David Richards, a teacher in the book, at a ballet competition and he signed it for me. He told me that Stephanie doesn't dance any more, and I don't think she ever made it into New York City Ballet company or any other ballet company. Like I said earlier, I've been dancing 15 years and this book, to me, is even more a true embodiment of what the every-day life of a ballet dancer is! I've known this book so long that I can quote it forwards and backwards, and almest every sentence is or has been true for me! I just finished a run of Nutcracker and, "I tore a little pink ribbon off the pantaloons that I wore in the party scene to keep for a souvenir."-to quote page 118. I am positive that current dancers, former dancers, future dancers, and sancers in their dreams will absolutly love this book, especially because it is so true to what they feel!

While Jill Krementz is a talented photographer, what my daughter and I really loved about this series was the very detailed text. She was fascinated to learn that each level at the School of American Ballet wears a different color leotard. She sympathized with the dancer who wants a new role in The Nutcracker, but gets the same casting. She learned the difference between a class, a rehearsal, and a performance - all opportunities to dance, but each with a specific purpose.
The original Jill Krementz books, like this one, were printed in black and white. A few later books ("A Very Young Skier") are in full color. But while the color photos look more contemporary and appealing, the later books are "dumbed down" - the text is very short, more like picture captions than narrative.
For the wonderful sense of detail you need the classic titles like "A Very Young Dancer." They make a dancer's life so real, a young reader can easily picture herself (or himself) doing the same. And that's the real power of this series: instead of being a passive spectator, the young reader becomes a participant. My daughter is now dancing in The Nutcracker for her ninth (and last) year. I think "A Very Young Dancer" was a big help along the way.

I am very partial to this book because it was one of my favorites when I was a little girl. I do believe this book is an absolute must-have for any young girl who takes part in the performing arts, particularly ballet. A VERY YOUNG DANCER is about a beautiful little girl named Stephanie who is a student at the prestigious American School of Ballet. We see her learning technique with her fellow students under the direction of David Howard. Eventually, we see her live the dream of many little would-ballerinas as Stephanie is chosen for the part of Mary (or Clara in many versions) in the New York City Ballet's production of the Nutcracker. I think the most important aspect of this book is the message--hard work, determination, and a good attitude are essential for making dreams come true.

Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.

To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a young child. A Very Young Dancer was one of her picks.

This is a story of a girl, Stephanie, who has the starring girl's role in The Nutcracker at age 10. The book is full of wonderful photographs that show ballet as it is experienced by the dancers. The story is written as though by Stephanie, so you see the world from her perspective.

My daughter loved this story so much, that she would beg me to keep reading. I would keep going until my voice was so hoarse I could not continue. And I loved the story, too.

Almost all little girls become interested in ballet at some point. This book is a wonderful way to encourage and expand on that interest while your child is too young to actually begin training. The material in this book can help sustain an interest in ballet later on, either as a dancer or as a fan. It will certainly encourage everyone who reads it to see The Nutcracker performed again this holiday season.

Although the story is focused on Stephanie, she also dances with eleven year old Stephen in The Nutcracker. Other male figures include Shaun O'Brien who plays Drosselmeyer and Stephanie's teacher, David Richardson. So boys who are interested in ballet will also find role models here.

Overcome your misconceptions that being a child star is bad for children with this heart-warming book about learning, growing up, beauty, and sharing with others.