Northwest Books

I happily read the book straight through. This tale gently connects a young teen to her people in the not too distant past. A delightful yarn that left me in a dream-like state reminiscing of my own grandmother sharing the stories of her childhood. Ah, if only the old quilts could talk. The author has pulled together many scraps of stories to give a voice to one Oregon quilt and inspires us to find out more about our own family stories. The real tips neatly included remind us to teach our young people what we know. We would all benefit to have a caring relative to pass forward the stories of each generation. Everyone deserves to have their own Uncle Bobbie to buffer the rapid change of today's world. Ms. Blomgren reminds us to reach out with her lovely story of fiction based on fact. The book concludes with full instructions to make the butterfly quilt should you be moved to create your own piece of Americana history.

This is a historic tale of a Butterfly quilt and the little girl who made it. Any young child will enjoy this book but even if you're not 13, you will enjoy the historical details of the quilt's story.

This is a story of a young girl who never lived to be a teenager but who had a talent for sewing. She never got to put the squares together to complete the quilt and they got passed down the generations until they caught one little girl's attention.

She joined a quilting group of older ladies and learned how to make these historic squares into a quilt. She also learned about the little girl that made them through letters to her uncle. For both the uncle and the little girl, it was a trail of memories and learning what other generations did.

When the quilt was completed, it was hers to keep. But did she? Read THE TALE OF ALICE'S QUILT to find out . But don't stop there. The book also contains the pattern for the very quilt the story is all about. It includes the template for the butterflies, the material and cutting list and how to do the appliqués. The instructions for putting it all together are easy to follow with plenty of graphics to help you along.

This is a charming story for young girls about making connections across generations. Alice's discovery of pieces of an old family quilt leads her to meet new people and create closer ties with her own family, past and present. This book would make a great gift for children and grandchildren of quilters!

This is a beautifully told, gentle story that captures the wonder and sense of kinship a young person can experience through the discovery of an ancestor who is brought back to life through memory and the gift of something left behind. In this book the gift takes the form of the pieces of a quilt started by one young Alice many years before the birth of another Alice--her great-niece. The second Alice decides to finish the quilt and learn of the life of her great-aunt who died at the age of twelve. The work on the quilt and what she decides to do with it when it's completed would warm anyone's heart, but the fact that the tale comes from actual events in the author's life makes it even more poignant. And an added gift to the reader: the instructions for making the beautiful butterfly quilt that connects the two Alices.
I've greatly enjoyed Jennifer Blomgren's other children's books, but I think this is my favorite. It's the first that includes her own lovely watercolor illustrations and can be treasured by absolutely any age group.

The "Tale of Alice's Quilt" is a charmingly positive story about generosity and care that works on many levels. The author uses a true story of a quilt made over two generations to knit present and past people together. She shows the reader the connections between the young and old and the continuous fabric of life and family in a way that a young reader can appreciate. Although I will not be making the quilt myself, it seems to be clearly laid out in the back of the book. I do enjoy going to quilt shows frequently and will see quilting in a new light after reading this memorable and uplifting tale.

This was purchased as a favor to a friend who wanted an add'l copy to send to his mom.

Excellent book - practical spiral binding inside a hard cover, so the book will lay open nicely when you are working from the recipes. Beautiful pictures of the foods and various B&B's along with many tasty recipes that are not too complicated for the average cook. Information on several B&B's is included as well. I have given this out as a gift twice already.

I made the Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle for a Neighborhood Harvest Party, and I won the award for the best dessert brought! People raved about it and said it was awesome -- beautiful and delicious! One of the neighbors decided to purchase the cookbook to give to her daughter who was wanting an outstanding dessert to serve for a party.

There are so many different and wonderful recipes, it's hard to start. But I have to tell you about the Beer Braised and Balsamic Vinegar Lamb with Rosemary White Beans. Give me a break!!! I couldn't even read the recipe without salivating!! (How embarassing!) It is one of the most unusual orchestrations of flavors I've ever experienced!! This is a special dinner, a night when you polish the silver candlesticks, chill some nice wine, and hope for rain, because you won't want anyone disturbing you at this dinner. The only thing I'd add, are a few of your best friends, then enjoy this elegant culinary event!!

This book contains illustrations, descriptions, and 11 specific items of information about 85 different Bed and Breakfast Country Inns in the state of Washington plus their most requested or favorite recipes. I especially liked one simply called "Bubble Bread" which included nuts, brown sugar, butterscotch pudding mix, and cinnamon in the ingredients!! The book lies flat when opened, has a beautiful hard cover,and is attractively printed in two colors. The authors also thoughtfully included tables of oven temperature equivalents, baking pan sizes, liquid and dry measures (including metric conversions), and high altitude adjustment suggestions. A special feature appearing throughout the book is entitled "Carol's Corner" where one of the authors records hints and happenings which developed during the testing of all recipes submitted. Tantalizing titles of some of the recipes are Banana Blueberry Muffins, Northwest Salmon Pie, Santa Cruz Sweet and Sour Zucchini Salad, Apple Breakfast Lasagna, Comeback Hash, and Paula's Easy Decadent Chocolate Trifle. You'll love the book for yourself and it would make a much-appreciated gift.

This book has done a wonderful job of collecting some of the best places in the Pacific Northwest for couples. It gives comprehensive descriptions, tells you the best rooms to stay in, gives rates (they may be a little out of date now, but still-ballpark), and in general does a good job of showcasing the selected hotels. It made me want to visit every one of them. If you live in the area, or are visiting, and are romantically inclined, or know someone who is, get this book.

"Weekends for Two in the Pacific Northwest" is a perfect resource for couples looking to have some away-time in a special place. From Ashland to Seattle, the beautiful photographs and detailed explainations are very helpful in planning your gettaway. Prices and aspects of dozens of hotels, lodges, B&Bs, etc. are explored and the authors even give personal oppinons, and suggestions on which rooms are more romantic. I would recommend this book to anyone with a heart for romance. It's a favorite in my household!

My husband and I spent a wonderful two days in July 2000 staying in "The Cabin." at the Guest House Cottages on Whidbey Island. We found this romantic spot in this book. There are so many wonderful places in this book, so I will tell you about the place we stayed to give you an idea of the quality of the listings presented in this great resource.

We stayed in the cutest log cabin you have ever seen, pictures at my site. A complimentary continental breakfast was set up for us on arrival. We loved having our own kitchen and a grocery store nearby so we could pick up needed supplies for a picnic at the beach. There was a beautiful pool where you could lay out in the sun. In the winter you would be sipping hot chocolate by one of the beautiful fireplaces in your cabin. The cabins were off the road in the woods and have queen or king-size featherbeds. The floors, walls and ceilings were all wood. They have river-rock fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, skylights and antique furnishings. The one we stayed in had beautiful stained-glass windows. They really went out of their way to make our stay as romantic as possible. Once you have your key, the cabin is all yours. It is your own private getaway. If you are running late they even offer to leave the key out for you when you arrive.

There was a private deck complete with barbecue and two chairs so you could sit and look out over the pond inhabited by African geese. The surroundings were lush and green and we saw lots of the cutest bunnies.

We also visited a lavender field and brought home a little lavender plant. If you do visit these same cottages, don't forget to visit Deception Pass. In fact, plan to stay at least two days, there are plenty of activities, including hiking and sailing.

I can truly say that without this book, we would most likely have never known about this secret hideaway. So, between you and me....don't tell too many people! This is a great place. Only tell your best friends or buy them this book. I also recommend this book as a wedding present.

The pages are filled with pictures of each getaway and the general prices are also listed for your convenience. I believe there is a new book with updated information, but this is the one I have.

~The Rebecca Review

This is a fabulous resource for those who want to get away from it all in the Pacific Northwest. I picked up this book because even though I grew up in the NW, I have always wanted to take a weekend somewhere quiet and romantic in the area. Our trips home these days are filled with relatives and family events, which while wonderful are draining in their own right. OK, well perhaps the stress of an executive job in corporate America, and two small, wonderful, relentless, beautiful, demanding....children makes the idea of a weekend with nothing to do but watch the ocean, read, and relax, something to aspire to, and dream about, and well, something we must do now for our sanity!

The book looks at romantic inns, bed and breakfasts, and small hotels throughout the northwest from the Oregon coast, to British Columbia, both in small towns and out of the way secluded locations to the big cities like Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. The different locations are presented in full color, and organized by region.

I really enjoyed the combination of descriptions and many personal insights. The photography is outstanding, and each location is presented well. However, I would depict this book as being more as a coffee table book than a travel guide. Many travel guides have much more detail to use while on the road. This book is one that can be used to make a choice, while knowing that follow up information will be required to execute your plans.

This is a beautiful book, well written, and one that will hopefully generate the result of a weekend getaway for us in the near future. A great visual and informational treat for anyone interested in visiting this part of the country.

I live in this part of the country, I didn't know there was no much great places to stay here! Thank you! I know lots of places to get away! I just need that special someone! :)

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

In a refreshing voice, When the Leaves Fall tackles the delicate subjects of teenage drug abuse, pregnancy, and peer pressure. It is a must read for parents raising, or planning to raise, children in the world today. Mary Nyman, a mother of five, writes with clear precise prose of someone who has experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations of raising children. Although this is a work of fiction, it is most assuredly a story that everyone can relate to. Nyman brings her characters to life with a writing style that begs the reader to turn the page. Read this book--better yet, read this book to your children and discuss it with them. It might just save your child's life.

Mary M. Nyman's When The Leaves Fall is an especially well written novel for young adult readers of a difficult test, learning, courage, and growth. Trapped in a cold, dark cave, seventeen-year-old Corey must escape the threat of violence, survive, and come to understand the consequences that progress through his life. A deeply absorbing tale of both internal and external conflict, When The Leaves Fall would be a welcome and popular addition to any school or community library fiction collection.

I think this book earned the rating I gave it, because I can understand how Corey gave into peer pressure and started to use drugs. It is hard to resist the peer pressure, which exists in every form, from drugs to voting for class president. I haven't given into peer pressure, but I can understand how hard it is to resist it, especially if your friends are the ones pressuring you. I think Corey made a good decision, and decided to turn his life around.

This well-paced read narrates the immediate predicament of a drug-involved young man and his circle of friends. The reader begins to understand him and his distorted thinking as the tension builds and his problems increase. Nyman artfully manages to win the reader's sympathy for Corey while, at the same time, illuminating his misjudgment. The complex, disturbing world that can influence our kids is depicted for those adults who have not experienced this first hand. The chapters are short and suitable for many reading levels, thanks to the thoughtfully selected vocabulary and great dialogue. The book has a lot to offer the curious or worried parent, as well as any young person--involved with drugs or observing from a distance. There is much to be learned here, and the book can be instructive or simply appreciated as a well-written young adult novel. There should be more work published like this to be shared between young people and adults! Well done!

A children's book that's as educational as much as it's entertaining, whose poetry is catchy and illustrations breathtaking. It doesn't get much better than this. The fact that my five-year-old granddaughter was absolutely mesmerized by the tale makes this a true winner in every sense of the word. As any parent and grandparent knows, it's nice to find a quality book to read to a youngster that will calm them down before bed. This certainly fits the bill. I was looking for something special for her and I liked the fact that the animals described were whales, deer, eagles, puffins, and even salmon - wild animals we are familiar with here in the Pacific Northwest. Imagine my pleasure to discover that the author is from my hometown! This is very highly recommended for children from 3 to 103!!!

This is a fantastic book! The acrylic illustrations are very realistic, the rhythm of the story has a nice flow and is easily read aloud without being too rhyming. We began reading this as a library book and decided we couldn't live without it. The story goes through "Where do I sleep?. . . I'm a baby ___" for each of the dozen animals and ends with a little boy and a bed full of stuffed animals. This is one of my favorite books.

I just purchased this book after hearing the illustrator speak. The pictures are bright and soft, the text musical and sweet. It just won the 2002 Pacific Northwest Book Award. A beautiful addition to any picture book library.

This book is absolutely one of the most beautifully illustrated children's books I have seen in a long time. The pictures capture the attention of both young children and adults alike. The clever story is also easy for kids to understand, while at the same time, educational. My kids love this book, and it would be a wonderful addition to your collection!

I appreciate a change from the usual cast of children's books characters (cat, dog, cow, horse): this book features otters, bats, foxes, anemones, eagles, and so on. The poems are great: the author rounds out the lines without useless filler words such as "very," "really," and "quite." Soothing verses and gentle pictures make this an excellent children's book. If you're from the Pacific Northwest, you must add this to your collection; if you're from anywhere else, you'll want to.

A Wing And a Prayer has a bird, Lupe, as its main character. This book gives a bird's eye view on life as an endangered species. Lupe finds his way "home" from captivity. Along the way, you'll meet many other animals-at-risk and come to know them as if you were them. This book shows us what animals would say if they could talk. A Wing And a Prayer show us that animals are truly multi-dimensional creatures, just like us. Morano's animals have instincts, feelings, thoughts and religion. Like humans, the animals deal with issues of racsim and gender. A Wing And a Prayer bridges the gap between humanity and animality in a way that will have you cracking-up laughing and teary-eyed crying. Morano's book answers the question: how would you feel and what would you do if you were the last of your kind?

What a beautiful story! It's so nice to see a well-written book with a good message. I'm sure that we can expect great things to come from this author.

With understated simplicity, Morano's wonderful characters provide insightful commentary on religion, gender, race and other social issues. "A Wing And A Prayer" is a beautiful story for all ages...I was unable to put it down until I had finished it. It has forever changed my view of nature and of animals...I wonder if they're not like Lupe and his friends, with beliefs, hopes, and dreams...

No matter what your age, you will find yourself caught up in the life of Lupe. The wonderfully three-dimensional characters will make you laugh and cry as you find yourself being drawn into the story with each chapter. Despite the suggested age range, it's a page turner.

Tired of reading books filled with violence and dinosaurs beeing brought back using DNA? Try this one out. This book is great for all ages. The only suprise is that other authors haven't tried this fresh approach to writing.

Using diaries, log books, letters, and other narratives, the editor has woven an anthology of women and their stories about life on the Great Lakes from the late 1700s until the present day. There is also a strong emphasis on the Native American women's accounts of their lives and activities. Of special interest to me were the accounts of women lighthouse keepers and women who worked on the ships that navigate the Great Lakes. This book is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in women's literature and/or the Great Lakes.

The Women's Great Lakes Reader is an impressive, informative, superbly presented contribution to women's studies, native American studies, regional and Midwestern history studies. Victoria Brehm has assembled an outstanding contributors writing on the theme of women's roles in the cultures, development, and history of the Great Lakes region of the American Midwest organized into five major sections: Anishinaabeg: The First Peoples of the Lakes; Women Pioneers on the Frontier; Women Travelers on the Lakes; Women's Work; and Women's Lives, Women's Lakes. Of special note is Judith Minty's "The North Woods" (1981) which serves admirably as an introduction to the wealth of informative, insightful, and engaging commentaries comprising The Women's Great Lakes Reader which make this work a seminal contribution for personal and academic studies.

As opportunities for woman waxed and waned on the frontier of the Great Lakes of the 1800s, those few who performed jobs restricted to men were forced back into a patriarchal society that determined their roles more suited to hearth and home, "quelled by the anti-feminist rhetoric of the 1920s and the diminished opportunities of the 1930s". Harriet Colfax, a thirty-seven-year old lighthouse keeper of the Michigan City, Indiana, lighthouse in 1861 shined more than a figurative beacon on the wilderness landscape. In the late nineteenth century, gender roles were fluid in the Great Lakes region, allowing women to assume occupations formerly reserved for men. For a time, the frontier gave women access to well-paying positions as fur traders, cooks on lake's ships and travel writers. East Coaster's were avid readers of "local color", post-Civil War tales of wilderness travels by women who returned from their adventures to write of their exploits, delicious escapist reading for those concerned with urban sprawl, immigration and the inexorable advance of the Industrial Revolution.

Industrialization and the changes it wrought altered the landscape of women's opportunity, bringing with it restrictions of class and gender long familiar to "cultured" society, but in these tales, albeit briefly, women are the putative masters of their own fates. The Women's Great Lakes Reader honors those women who took the risk and journeyed into the unknown, achieving in this vast wilderness what they were denied in professions at home, an escape from the domesticity assigned to them, relying on their wits for survival in a genderless landscape. These narratives avoid the stereotypical stories of nation-building and development, the standards of a male perspective, written from the female point of view, "they tell us less about mastering a landscape and more about adjusting to it", perhaps the most important lesson in preparing for the future.

From "The First People on the Lakes", "Women Pioneers on the Frontier", "Women Travelers on the Lakes", "Women's Work" and "Women's Lives, Women's Lakes", these selections range from the Indian settlers of the early 1800s to a spiritual midlife journey in the 1990s. Here the voices rise from a distant past to join with the present in profiles, narratives, essays, stories and poetry that emerges from the common experience of a life-changing region, women in communication with nature, forging unique identities in a wilderness that refuses to be tamed. Luan Gaines/ 2006.

Lighthouse keepers, fur traders, cooks, wives and mothers - women from all walks of life have traveled to the Great Lakes region over the past 200 years.

Some stayed only a short time, others made interesting and often challenging lives. Their stories, collected by Grand Valley State University Professor Victoria Brehm in The Women's Great Lakes Reader, reveal a wide range of voices and experiences, from the poetry and travelogues to letters and diary entries about life in mining camps and homesteads around the shores of these vast bodies of water.

Among several dozen chapters are the polished words of novelist Constance Fenimore Wilson, who committed suicide at age 54, after becoming a popular and successful author. Weaving narrative into rich and vivid scenic detail, Wilson puts herself in the shoes of Roxana, who follows her husband into the west.

Brehm also includes brief but fascinating Chippewa tales penned in English by Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, daughter of a fur trader and a Native American woman who married explorer Henry Schoolcraft.

Written from 1789 to present day, each of the stories in this collection holds a unique place in women's history. Best of all, The Women's Great Lakes Reader reflects a diversity of women's voices and reinforces the timeless notion that no one voice speaks for us all.

I found this book to be extremely informative and entertaining. It enlightened me about the history and culture of the region, and looked at both aspects from a more feminist point of view. An excellent read for pleasure or education. I will definitely read it again.

I bought this book about a year ago, and I'm working my way through all the hikes. So far, every one (I've done about 15 of them) has been enjoyable. I found that I recently had to purchase a binder for the book because it's so much easier to rip out the pages and take them along on your hike. The author does tend to patch together pieces of different trails, so you really do need the description and map along with you for each of the trips.

One side note for dog owners - double check before bringing your dog to some of these places - IL Beach does not allow dogs on their trails, but the book says dogs are allowed, on a leash. That was kind of a long drive to find that out the hard way.

I almost finished writing my review, hit the wrong button and lost it. Just to sum up, you will not find information so thorough, accurate and well-written on the subject. Mr. Villaire is the closest thing to a personal guide.I've lived in Chicago all my life and am pleased to have discovered and rediscoveredl so many worthwhile nature areas. Author Ted Villaire is obviously passionate about sharing his information with fellow nature lovers. Everytime I Google one of the recommended hikes, I find little that adds to the info found in the book. And forget Mapquest- this book gets driving directions right every time. The book is hardly pocket-sized, and the detailed trail guides will have you pulling the book out of your backpack often. My solution is to copy the pages and take those with. (Whoops- did I just confess to copyright violation?)

I bought this book as a referrence for a planned trip. I was so pleased with the graphics and format that I am buying more books in the series. The maps and desciptions are clear and informative. The hikes seem do-able for casual day hikers.

The title of the book caught my eye, and the book itself more than lived up to it! I live in downtown Chicago and was looking for hikes that could be done as day trips - the 60 hikes included are within this distance. The book makes it easy to search by type - for example, river hikes, lake hikes, hikes for wildlife viewing, hikes with children, and then also by distance (1-3 miles, 3-6 miles, and 6+ miles). Each hike has a trail map, directions, a full description, and key info at a glance (e.g. length, configuration, difficulty, scenery, facilities, and even exposure - shady, sunny etc.).

If you think you'll ever want to plan a trip either by car or motorcycle to the great state of Alaska, this book is a must-have. Not only does provide everything you could ever ask for, it comes in a small package that packs away nicely.

I took this book with the AAA guidebook on my trip to Alaska, read the AAA intro on the plane there and read only this book for the rest of the trip. We traveled more than 2,000 miles on the Alaska Highway. This book has been a great companion and guide book wherever we go. I even did some more reading on the plane back home because the writing was interesting. It may be partly because Alaska is such an interesting subject; but the book is definitely fun to read.

I recently rode my motorcycle up the Alaska Highway and space was pretty limited. I photocopied pages out of various other books, but brought this one along intact.

It stayed in my tankbag every day, was brought out at every meal, and was pored over in hotel rooms at night. I'm also a writer, and my Adventure Guide to the Alaska Highway became my de facto notebook on the trip -- post-it notes of every color peek out from its pages; notes line the margins.

There are a finite number of places to stop along the Alaska Highway; most guidebooks will give you pretty much all of them. What makes this one different is its tone. The authors obvious enjoy both the road and writing about it. Personal anecdotes are lightly sprinkled into the text, giving the impression that yes, the authors know what they're talking about. I learned little bits of history about the areas I rode through; not so much that it weighed down the book, but just enough to pique my interest and send me scampering to the library once I got back.

Also, the book is laid out very well. The font is easy on the eyes; bold section headers made it easy to find what I was looking for, even while balancing the book on my tankbag after pulling to the side of some gravelly road in the middle of nowhere.

While the Milepost will give you every pullout and scenic view on the highway, this book is great reading about what to do, and what to see on your way. The information is very accurate and intresting. In this book, when you look up a certain place you end up reading on and on.

This book offers the serenity and solitude of the outdoors, seen by few and unexperienced by many. The inside passage is the untouched adventure that the photographer has magnificently demonstrated by the composition of the moment! Incredible, to the point of allowing the reader to share the feeling of the experience.

Beautiful photography along with very informative information. A book well worth looking over again and again.

My wife had seen this book at another person's house before we cruised the inside passage. Gave us a preview of what was to come. After our cruise it was fun going back over what we had seen. We ordered the book after our trip. We especially enjoyed the beautiful photographs. We both own digital cameras and especially enjoy good pictures. The book has a nice overall appeal and look to it. The text was excellent.

Having just returned from my first Alaskan cruise, I was looking for a book to capture the beauty and grace of this wild land. I was so impressed by the full page pictures that I bought copies for several family members who were also on the cruise with me. Just opening this book takes me back on the cruise. The text is descriptive and insightful, but it is the 9.5 by 13 inch pictures that fill my vision and bring back memories.