Wallace Books

I got this book for my 3-year old niece about a week before her first plane ride and vacation to the beach. By our arrival in Miami Beach she could already point to the many seagulls and tell me that they were looking for food. The simple story and illustrations were a wonderful introduction to many of the things she encountered at the beach including the waves, shells, seaweed, sandcastles, and crabs (but as a Maryland native she already knows all about them - steamed with plenty of Old Bay seasoning, that is). Now weeks later, rereading the story brings back memories of her trip and lots of enjoyment. Highly educational and fun.

"A Day at Seagull Beach," by Karen Wallace, describes a day in the life of a mated pair of seagulls. Directed towards beginning readers, this book combines an easy-to-read text with full color nature photography on every page.

As do the other volumes in this series, this book contains a "Picture Word List" at the end. This feature is basically a visual glossary that illustrates each vocabulary word ("pincer," "seaweed," "waves," etc.) with a photograph. This is a good feature that adds to the book's educational value.

We see the seagulls tending their nest and their eggs. Much of the book follows the male gull as he searches for food; we see him encounter a crab, a starfish, and other marine life. Overall, the combination of good photography and literacy aids make "A Day at Seagull Beach" a good choice for children.

women, but also a great women's novel which richly deserves a wider audience. Informed by a lively intelligence, rich in detail, history, story, "alternate & altered states." THIS is a women's book I'd love to see in college curriculums for women's studies! I compare her not only to Anais Nin but to Lawrence, Miller....but unique in these times.

If you want to read a novel that's truly unlike anything you've ever experienced, I'd suggest tracking down a copy of Amy Wallace's DESIRE - sadly, you'll have to hit the local library or used bookstore, since it's not in print any more. Love, obsession, pearls, and sea monsters (yes, that's right, SEA MONSTERS) are just a few of the elements that Ms. Wallace ably weaves into this alternately terrifying, erotic, disturbing, and - finally - supremely moving book; not only an extraordinary first novel, but just an extraordinary novel, period.

Homicide detective Jack Dantzler has a perfect solve rate with the Lexington, Kentucky police department. His secret: Dantzler prides himself on outsmarting the criminals he's after. But his ideal record is threatened when an evil darkness comes to Lexington, the likes of which Dantzler and his partners have never encountered.

When a woman and two of her three daughters are brutally slain, Dantzler is not only puzzled but also angry. He knew the woman and her daughters and can think of no reason why these three would be slaughtered. Dantzler's investigation leads him to New York and back to a horse farm in Lexington, where young women are disappearing. What Dantzler uncovers during his investigation is evil incarnate that puts his own life in danger, as well as his friends and other investigators.

The Devil's Racket is a chilling thriller, packed with breath-taking suspense. The gritty, fast-paced plot holds the reader's interest from the first page to the last. Dantzler is an engaging character, a talented tennis player with a genius IQ whose investigative techniques are infallible. His developing relationship with detective Laurie Dunn adds a warm touch to a disturbing, albeit galvanizing, storyline.

Jack Dantzler of the Lexington, KY homicide squad is one tough cop with a perfect solve record. But evil enters the horse country and attracts followers and Jack meets his toughest case ever in the person of Victor Sammual. Drugs, human sacrifice, satanism, and brutality pepper the pages of the police procedural that rated a review in the Lexington paper, not know for its interest in mysteries.
People who know the territory will keep turning to pages looking for local haunts they know and recognize. Other readers will enjoy the skill with which Tom Wallace presents THE DEVIL'S RACKET, he makes you hear the balls bounce on the court.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

This book is an invaluable resource for classroom teachers. I have enjoyed reading it and have implemented a lot of the ideas very easily into my class. I can already see a difference in the writing of my students. Writing time has become so much more enjoyable for me and my students and we have all grown as a result of the ideas presented. There are a lot of tips that are easily implemented and the appendices are great. They give a list of books that are good for teaching mini-lessons on various topics. I highly recommend it.

I happened to come across this book at my library while doing research for a paper. Once I started reading it, though, I couldn't put it down. There are so many great ideas in this book, from how to start incorporating a writing workshop in your classroom, to ideas for mini-lessons, to how to encourage peer collaboration. The book is very easy to read, and you will find yourself marking nearly every page for future reference. This book has been such a great resource, I am now ordering a copy for myself!

Baby animals that grow up in the wild are beautifully photographed and engagingly explained for beginning readers in a manner sure to spark interest.

Just like human children, baby animals have lessons to learn. The rhino, zebra, bear, elephant, and more are all here. Children will adore reading about them over and over again.

A picture dictionary reinforces learning and vocabulary skills.

Many beginning readers are put off by the "see Jane run" stories that lack drama. Getting a book like this one sparks the child's interest with the colorful photos of animals. It makes them want to read to discover all they can about the baby animals.
The book shows mother and baby animals interacting. The reader sees kangaroos, cheetahs, zebras, walrus, water buffalo, hippos, koalas, and many more. Two or three sentences per animal tell about it's abilities.
The DK Readers use word repetition, limited vocabulary, and simple sentences in the level one books. Boxed photos show new words.

The Dung Beetle Joke Book is delightfully humorous. A great read for both child and adult. Funny and yet educational, The Dung Beetle Joke Book blends facts with light hearted kid humor to create the best of both worlds. Bold bright illustrations from incredibly talented High School Artists add special warmth to the book. The greatest appeal is the opportunity to snuggle up at night with some shared parent & child time creating laughter and closeness. Authored by a family, you can't help but hear the giggles they must have shared during its creation.

This book was wonderful! What first attracted me was it's cover; very vibrant colors and a very ugly dung beetle on the front! What then made it very special was that it was written by a grandfather and his two grandsons. I knew this because of the 5 previous books they had written. The book begins by explaining what a dung beetle is. Once you know that you will then understand why most folks, especially children, find these jokes extremely funny. One of the clever things about this book is that it is set-up in a way that the punchlines to the jokes are in the back of the book. You have to try and answer the jokes without looking and it is great child entertainment. I found it is also a terrific way to bond with any child,young readers, seasoned readers and even non-readers. The illustrations are captivating to the eye and the jokes keep their interest.The illustrations were done by two very talented high school students and this just adds to the wholesomeness of the book.This book is funny,colorful, educational and a great way to bond with children. You can even come up with your own dung beetle jokes and send them to the authors.A book that teaches and lets you laugh, there is nothing better!

If you have an interest in political items & buttons as a collector or history buff, this series of three volumes are absolutely essential to your library.

Ted Hake's three book series has become the standard by which all others are judged. This first book of political collectibles is the most comprehensive book of it's kind in existence. Life size photographs and accurate pricing for each item make this book relatively easy to use. The only drawback is that the first edition (now out of print) was in color. Nevertheless, even black and white photos make identification of collectibles a cinch. For the serious and committed collector, you should buy all three books. Together, they make the most complete valuation recording in existence for political collectables. A must have reference work.

While ENERGY ZAPPERS: DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO DRAIN YOU DRY could have easily been featured in our 'Spirituality' section, it's reviewed here for its wider-ranging importance to all kinds of leaders who would learn how to turn stressful relationships to more effective paths. The authors are pastors at two of America's largest churches so their approach is Christian in origin, but their practical, real-world tips on how to turn draining relationships into energy-charged ones makes for important reading, bringing this to the attention of not just spiritual collections and those catering to church leaders, but to any business holding.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Whether leading a group, mentoring, or counseling one on one, "Energy Zappers" is a helpful guide to dealing with those individuals who drain your group efforts or deplete your own personal energy level.

Shaun and Wallace share from their own lives and ministry experiences in this fast moving study of energy draining individuals. Among them are "Angerers" "Foot Draggers," "Freeloaders, "Quitters" and "Wounders." I was surprised to find myself a borderline in one of the groups and am taking the suggested steps to overcome and to move on to being a stronger team member.

Along with contemporary stories the authors share illustrations from the life of Jesus of these same "Cynics," "Distracters," "Doubters," and "Whiners." Lessons learned from Jesus, Paul, Daniel and other Biblical examples are as applicable today as at the time they were written.

Blakeney and Henley write with humor, emotion, and insight as they adapt principles Jesus used in influencing people to help the reader recognize "energy drainers" and in providing practical advice on turning these negative relationships in to vital, dynamic, positive character building experiences.

Easy to read, hard to put down, and a ready reference for future study.

Hill and Wallace have scoured hundreds of years of Western literature, from Aretino and Boccacio to Nin and Miller, carefully gleaning the spicy bits for this collection. And what a collection! The editors' commentary alternates with extracts from the erotic literature, helping to set the historical and cultural context for the exciting passages presented here.

It's not just an anthology of the good parts, though. Paintings, prints, and drawings decorate nearly every page. I liked seeing that the visual arts cover more of the human experience, including Japanese shunga and other samples from China and India. Scraps of poetry also adorn the side-bars of many pages, giving a varied look and reading experience to each page.

Bibilographic attribution lets interested readers find more by favored authors. Unfortunately, readers are on their own in hunting down more imagery by any of the artists shown here. Although enjoyable, the pictures vary in quality, sometimes appear in such small format that they become hard to read, and under-represent recent artists and photographers. Still, they cover a wide range of styles and practices, and complement the text quite well.

The editors intentionally omit non-consensual practices, a decision that I applaud and that might broaden the appeal of this book. Given this delightful introduction, I'm looking forward to the later volumes by these same editors.

-- wiredweird

I highly recommend "Erotica - Illustrated Anthology"; the book is filled with beautiful, sexy and sensual art and literature. Great to get for yourself, or as a sexy gift for the one you love....

Wallace Stegner has the ability to create wonderful, human characters. I felt like I knew the people he wrote about. And, because their experiences are so honest, the reader is able to accept that all dimensions of life including human fraility, are part of the complex wonder of life. I didn't want this book to end.

This is a beautiful book. It's about life and all the small things that make life enjoyable and worth living. There isn't much action yet I found myself utterly concerned with the lives of the characters. I relish every chance I get to recommend this book to people who have never read it.