Libraries and Museums Books

This book provides younger students with information in smaller bits than other books I have seen. The many pictures are wonderful, and the variety in aviation related topics is exellent.

I like this book because it is exciting and it is funny. They go on a class trip and get lost and that is just the beginning of their adventure. There is more to this story and you should read it and find out what else happens. This is a good book for second graders.

This exhibition catalogue is a must have item for anyone who has a serious interest in China's rich textual tradition. I have already put Visible Traces on my Christmas wish list in hopes that my relatives, who have no idea why I have been studying Chinese literature and history all these years, will break down and give me something related to my life's work. And I haven't written a wish list in ages, that's how much I want a copy of this on my bookshelf. And if they don't give me a copy, I'll give one to myself as a gift once I finish my PhD.

If you didn't have an opportunity to see these rare books, maps and artefacts when they were on display in New York or Los Angeles, or if you don't feel like buying a plane ticket to visit the National Library of China in Beijing, this catalogue is an economical way to savor what you missed. The editorial review does a wonderful job of summarizing the contents, so I won't repeat that. The color photography certainly does justice to the original works. I enjoyed seeing the photographs of a 1621 manuscript on Tang poetry because it's connected to my own research, but there is something in this volume for anyone who loves Chinese culture. The reader will find scrolls of Buddhist sutras, delicate drawings of gentlemen playing the game of go, specialist monographs on the varieties of crysanthemums, illustrated manuals on goldfish, albums of Beijing opera characters, oracle bones, pictorial rubbings and multi-color maps of the Chinese empire, and more.

For the specialist the bibliography is detailed enough to start tracking down other extant copies of the items in the exhibition as well as general information to be found in secondary sources.

That said, why didn't I rate this book a 5? Only a couple reasons. Some sections of maps and charts have been magnified, and are less distinct than their smaller scale originals, which some readers will find frustrating. Every reader will have a different reason why they love this book. I wanted to be able to see the whole 1621 poetry collection. A crysanthemum connoisseur will want to see every flower illustration. Map lovers will wish that all the maps had been printed. In other words, every one will wish the book were bigger and that it covered his or her interest in more detail (even at the expense of someone else's). At 337 pages, however, it's already a large volume. After savoring each page, you may find yourself falling for some new aspect of Chinese culture and you'll realize you may have to buy that plane ticket to China after all. Visible Traces will whet your appetite, but it won't quench your thirst, which is fine because no one volume could ever contain all the glories of China's print culture. DO NOT show this catalogue to your kids, unless you are happy for them to fall in love with Chinese history and art and study for PhDs instead of becoming a lawyer or getting an MBA.

The second Sesame Street title about Museums by Random House. The first was "Grover & The Everything In The Whole Wide World Museum". Bert, Ernie & Grover are curious to see a moon rock. They visit the museum and see all it's exhibits. A great way for young readers to learn about all the different kinds of stuff museums have to offer. The Museum in bookform format concept was tried out in 1993-94 when Bantam Books released the Bank Street Museum Book titles of Dinosaurium, Planetarium, Oceanarium & Floratorium. I recommend those titles for older readers.

The late Paul Zindel, most famous for his Pulitzer Prize winning playwriting, ended up his very prolific writing career with this series of murder mysteries aimed at adolescent readers. THE SCREAM MUSEUM inaugurates the series, narrated by hot shot teen sleuth P.C. Hawke and his equally brainy sidekick McKenzie. In Book 1 the kids' friend Tom, a slow-witted custodian at the musuem where P.C.'s dad works, is accused of murdering entomologiest Conchetta Farr. P.C. and McKenzie, aware of Tom's essentially gentle nature, know this cannot be the case and set out to discover the real killer.

This is nothing special, and it certainly does not rank among Zindel's finer works for young people, but it has an agreeable pace and a nice sense of how teens think and live life in the early 21st century. Best of all the narrator and his friend are eminently likable and believable characters.

This would make for a good intro for young people into the mystery genre.

"The Scream Museum" starts with someone already murdered which is the biggest mystery in the book. P.C. Hawke and his partner Mackenzie try to uncover clues in hopes to find out who the murderer is. They ask most of the characters where they were st the time of the murder and in time, they soon believe they have their man just like on an episode of Law and Order or CSI...but P.C. is mistaken. It's a neat suspenseful mystery novel.

Well....at least it's mystery for ya. I could not put it down.

I thought the Scream Museum was a slow, boring book. I wouldnt really recommend it to anyone, unless they really like those suspence books alot. It was about a boy, P.C Hawke, who dreams of being a detective. When there is a murder at the Museum of Natural History, where his father works, he jumps on the case. Tom, who is the custodian at the musuem, is accused of the murder but P.C knows that Tom wouldnt hurt a fly. He along with his best friend, Mackenzie, try to find the real murderer and prove Tom innocent. They believe that it must have been one of the two co-workers who are now fighting for the womans job. Can P.C and Mackenzie prove Tom innocent?

Zindel does not meet his usual quality of writing in this book. In the first chapter, P.C. says that his father left town yesterday, then says that his father's been out of town for a week. I also doubt that P.C., a high school junior, would have Jesus, a 13-year-old computer wiz, for a best friend. And the relationship with Jesus seems to be for P.C.'s benefit primarily. I will warn my junior high students that this book is not as good as others by Paul Zindel before they read it. I don't know whether I will invest in the rest of the series for my classroom library or not. The story was entertaining, but I feel that Zindel did not take the time to think carefully during the writing process. Take your time, Paul - you have great ideas to get kids reading!

In my opinion the book The Scream Museum was excellent. This book was full of suspense and mystery.The setting of this book was well described. Characters in this book was also well described. I would recomend this book to any one who loves murder mysteries. Also to any one who would like to sit patiently and read such a great book.

I bought this horribly written little book for my grandchildren to read before the DVD comes out next week. I read it first - sorry that I did. It stinks! It is written so badly that even a little child would be bored. If the movie is as bad as the book it is no wonder that it became a DVD so quickly. Do not bother with this poorly written rot.

One age's veni, vidi, vici is another's Manifest Destiny. History is a sequence of stories about one person taking what he wants from another just because he can. It's about the effects of unbridled power. The lesson we all know but never quite process is that we're doomed to repeat the history we don't learn from. We're doomed because the unlearned lessons are about the pain and misery that result from limited knowledge and understanding. These are the limits that kill off the part of us that can empathize with others.

Night at the Museum produced by 20th Century Fox turns the dry thoughts of the above paragraph into an adventure in which T-rex skeletons, wax figures--larger than life, life size, and miniature--and mummies come to life after hours to challenge the perceptions of the new night guard, a divorced ne'er do well on the verge of losing his son to the highly successful bond-trader boyfriend of his ex-wife--herself a non-stop critic of her son's father, Larry.

Played by Ben Stiller, Larry Daley can't seem to get out from under the various forms of despair he experiences until he meets Teddy Roosevelt, played sensitively and humorously by Robin Williams. Teddy is the paragon of honest curiosity, initiative, and courage who mentors Larry in his early days as night watchman. Because Robin Williams is Teddy, he is a very funny wise old sage on horseback in love with Sacagawea under glass.

Night at the Museum appeals to the desire for adventure and romance--Larry loves the Carla the Docent, Teddy loves the Scout--without the violence and sex that can leave a person feeling trampled as the credits roll. There's some violence and the chase that makes an adventure flic worthy of its name, and it's just right. The chase is set in motion by Cecil, Gus, and Reginald the three night guards that Larry has replaced--Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs, respectively.

Larry does not conquer his demons in the end. He deals with them and they learn to dance with each other and life gets good. And he and his son share a secret that even the neurotic ex-wife won't be able to dismantle.

Night at the museum
3 stars HHH
By: Leslie Goldman, Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Gerent




If you like adventures and fantasy this is your kind of book.

Larry has been looking for a job since he got fired. He is very unsuccessful and always gives up. Larry is divorced and his son is having a hard time. Then one day Larry went to his ex-wife's house to pick up his son Nicky to got to his hockey game and saw a help sigh in the window at the new York museum. The next day Larry drove to the museum and asks for the application for the job the job was for the night security guard.
When Larry was done and handed it to the front desk and the ladies said now go to the security office to the right and up the steps and to the left you will see a door that says security only. When he was walking up the halls he gets lost (Larry is not very smart) and asks a lady were the security room is (Larry admires her!) and she guides him the office. When Larry opened the door and saw 3 old coots. One of the men handed Larry the gear ands said jobs tomato. On the next day Larry went to the museum in his suit ready for the job and went to the security room and one of the old men said (when the lights go off the museum is on).

I loved this little book! Had seen the previews of the movie, and wanted to read the story. It is a charming tale of a divorced father who can't seem to hold onto a job, down on his luck, trying to do his best with his son, who lives with his mom - He finally gets a lead on a job: a night watchman at a museum filled with many wonderful exhibits. He gets the job, and to his amazement, the statues come to life at night! How he manages to bring harmony to his life and the museum is charming - It may be for young people, but the message is for everyone -
Would I love to visit that museum!

The characters are less than one dimensional. The plot is under-under-under-developed. Please, stop writing.

This is one of my favorite Boxcar Children Mysteries!!! The plot is good and strong. The story is exciting. It is one of the first ones that Soo Lee, Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny's adopted cousin from Korea is involved. It is a great chapter book for beginning readers that are just beginning to read longer books, although I do recommend it to anyone. Just a great mystery!!!

I first began reading the Boxcar Children Mysteries when I was 7. I thought of them as the best books ever. This one was no disappointment. The story is just perfect. I have no problems with it at all. I recommend that you read it, no matter who you are. It is mostly for ages 7-12, but also adults and seniors will enjoy it. Terrific!!!!

My uncle took me to one of the Russian nightclubs in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn a couple of years back and I can tell you that John's description of it in Murder at the Museum of Natural History is right on! This guys knows his stuff.

What a great book! It has a great plot and terrific characters. I especially like Sgt Moskowitz, Donovan's new partner, and the Russian guy who helps Donovan out. Michael Jahn writes about the Big Apple better than anyone!

I was dissappointed. First two books "Night Rituals" and "Death Games" were excellent. Still have and reread them. They had a character named Jefferson, lots of humor, a good plot. This is is minus Jefferson, minus interesting characters, has little humor, and too many historical facts. This one goes in discard pile.

I expected a book of reference quality; sturdy binding, quality paper.
The general quality is cut rate. Printed in China.
This book arrived damaged, probably related to the quality of the binding.
Will be returning.

I am interested in historic houses. This book serves as an excellent reference book as it details the current challenges facing those engaged in the house museum "business" and the solutions which are available to successfullly navigate these problems. Ms. Harris' writing style is very smooth and her scholarship is outstanding. The footnotes and bibliography provide and excellent source of information for those interested in pursuing this topic further. I recommend this book to anyone studying this field on the graduate school level as well as professionals in the house museum field.

This is an excellent book about the impending crisis in the preservation of house museums, evidenced by fewer visitors and the sale of Carter's Grove by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The book offers several creative ways to adaptively reuse house museums while continuing to preserve them. Clearly and concisely written, the book offers everyone who loves house museums an opportunity to rethink how they will be used and preserved in the future.

For me, I think the book was lacking more adventures. It was pretty short for me.

Half great and half boring I think. Some endings were so great while others were... yes, dumb boring. Wish I can give it 4 and a half stars. It deserves that. But...oh well, count this book as a great book then. So as I say, kindness has kindness, something like that. I think Axel is actually not evil after all.

I liked this book, but Jake was really dumb to run away in the beginning. He should have just stayed and avoided the whole thing and not try to get everyone killed. Some of the parts were pretty good like when the wicked doctor-lady came out, but some of them were kind of boring, and they went on and on and on about the machines they used. It got kind of old after a while. But still, great book. It's pretty fun.