K through 12 Books

Inner monsters: we all have them, and this brilliant, insightful therapist effects profound transformation in his clients through a willingness to empathize with them and with their inner beasts. The book is a must-read, not only for therapists, but for parents, or for anyone whose monsters were suppressed or misunderstood as children (wouldn't that be most of us?). Fascinating, inspiring, and heart-warming. I recommend it very highly indeed.

It is so unusual to read a book that chronicles the lives of humans with such universal love, compassion, and wisdom. In this book, Dennis McCarthy details the process of transformation through play in the lives and stories of children and their monsters. The level of specificity balanced by a universal applicability to a wide range of readers makes this book readable for anyone, anywhere. Not only will you dream richer dreams, you will feel a great well of hope rise up when reading about the incredible lives and generative miracles that happen when we listen and pay attention to one another. Dennis McCarthy shows us through a lifetime of case studies what is possible when we dive into the unknown that lives within all of us. Whoever you are, read this book and then go out and replicate the process!

Dennis McCarthy's beautifully written book, "If You Turned into a Monster," might seem directed towards professional therapists, but its truths are universal. The wisdom of Mr. McCarthy, his gentle empathy, his reflections on myth, psychoanalysis, Bioenergetics, and his own struggles with childhood grief, will enlighten every reader. In jargon-free language, it explores the inner world of children in crisis, and reveals their incredible capacity not only to survive traumas, but -- with the help of an insightful and caring therapist like Mr. McCarthy -- to regain wholeness, reshaping their inner lives as they draw pictures, tell stories, and build up, break down, and remake their sand creations.

We learn the specific cases of children in often drastic situations -- a deadly illness, a parent with AIDS, abuse -- and yet the astonishing feeling from reading this book is of immense hopefulness. Mr. McCarthy sees every child on her/his own terms, and uses play therapy, particularly sandplay, to break free of the inner conflicts that prevent personal growth. As he writes, "Using a symptom playfully and creatively is using what the child is bringing with them as raw material for change.... They can be the very impetus for transformation (and) can become doorways." (pgs. 112-113) The fears of children are the fears we all face, and without polemics or accusations, he shows the need for parents to understand themselves in order to better help their child's development. "In letting children begin to teach us about childhood we can them begin to consider how to better parent and teach the child." (pg. 139)

Mr. McCarthy expresses himself with a sense of joy, hope, gratitude, and awe, especially when experiencing the charged, numinous moments when a child begins to unlock the "monster" inside, and the pictures of "monsters" drawn by these children are wonderfully vivid and revealing. The lives of the children are the heart of this book. Mr. McCarthy does not pretend to know all the answers. His openheartedness towards children, and their often confused and troubled parents, seems a key to his success not only as a therapist, but as a writer as well.

A book of this nature might not appear to be a "page-turner," but once you begin, you will not want to stop. It is thoughtful, funny, compassionate, filled with insights, and when you finish it, you will be rewarded with a desire to better understand your own mysteries, your "monsters," your true treasures of the self.

Jay Stailey and Ruby Payne have created a great resource for dealing with a very tough topic. Poverty is all around us. I find it particularly helpful as a pastor to use it as a starter for conversations about poverty. The stories really make you think! I particularly like the discussionquestions at the end of each section. Great book!

These books are a unique gift from the ever creative mind of J. K. Rowling. For the avid Harry Potter enthusiast, these book give you a new perspective on the Harry Potter world. For the Harry Potter fan, the books are well written and fun to read. In addition, I loved the hand written notes from Harry and Ron. Very funny and lots of fun.

Brought to the muggle world for the first time, these two school books bring the reader one step closer to the world of Hogwarts and provide additional information not found in the beloved series. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is a replica of Harry Potter's own school book and includes his scribbles in the margins as well as those of Ron and Hermione. This book reads a little like an encyclopedia with entries for many of the magical creatures met during the series as well as some that are not included. "Quidditch Through the Ages" is taken straight from the Hogwarts library and includes a list at the beginning of those who have checked it out over the years. This book provides a history of the sport, how it began and evolved. If you ever wondered where the golden snitch came from, this slim book provides all of the answers.

Both books are quick and easy reads that provide a great supplement for the avid Harry Potter fan. Rich with information, they are relatively inexpensive; binding is cardboard, but some effort is made to make them appear more authentic. Introductions by Professor Dumbledore, fantastic sketched by JK Rowling, and commentary from the trio make these books a treasure. If you needed any further inspiration to purchase these books, proceeds benefit Comic Relief, an organization that helps disadvantaged children throughout the world.

I purchased this set to satisfy my curiosity and am not disappointed. The books are easy to read and add to my Potter collection nicely. They provide a little of the backstory I was looking for.

This set would be a great gift for any Potter fan.

Ordered this as a birthday present for my sister. Didn't realize how quick it would come. She got her present almost a week early and was thrilled.

These are wonderful little books that are excellent fillers for your Harry Potter fix while contributing to a great cause. These will fill in some gaps concerning magical creatures and quiddich. I love the introductions by Dumbledore and the comments made by Ron, Harry, and Hermione in the magical creatures book. The quiddich book even has a list of names from previous students who checked it out, many of which are familiar. I was once again amazed by the limitless imagination of J.K. Rowling and her magical world. If you like the Harry Potter books you cannot go wrong with these!

This book is a great addition to your Harry Potter library. It also has proceeds going to charity.

I'm still quite fond of this little gem of a book--maybe it's the fact that it was written for charity and is thus calling out to me, but it's still a heck of a lot of fun to have a little "extra" for my Harry Potter collection, though I like to think the copy owned by Harry is a bit thicker.

But one still has to give it up for J. K. Rowling turning her considerable talents to the lore she has suggested in the main series.

While nothing is necessary for HP appreciation, this is handy and gives you a geeky insight into those nit-picky Quidditch details.

The organization and writing is adorable and tongue-in-cheek, and the "signs of use" are awesome.

Earlier this year Professor Binns assigned us a written report. History of Magic being the most boring class at Hogwarts, I was dreadding this assignment. That is, until I found a copy of QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES in the school library.

In his book, Kennilworthy Whisp discusses the evolution of Quidditch, racing brooms, the rules of the game, the pro-teams and their infamous incidents throughout the years.

This is a great addition to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It creates the feeling that all the history in it really happened. It makes the background to the game of Quidditch seem as real as any other game or event however; makes it exciting to read rather than normal history. There are also great pictures that accompany certain articles. A must have for any Harry Potter fan.

Quidditch Through the Ages is a sort of addition to the Harry Potter series. If you've read the Harry Potter books, you probably remember the characters talking about what a wonderful, exciting and informative book it is.

I kind of expected it to be longer, but I suppose that you can't get everything you want... all in all, for an additional book I thought that it was pretty okay. The best things about it were the little comments and tid bits that made it really seem like a book from the Hogwarts library.... the card in the front that has the names of all the kids that checked it out, the introduction from Dumbledore, and the conversion from dollars to sickles and knuts on the back are all really cool.

If you're a Harry Potter fan, you have to get this, if just to ease your curiosity on what it's about. But beware- this book has no plot and reads pretty darn boring, except for a few select parts. It clears up quite a bit of the fourth book's Quidditch Cup, and if there are any more matches in future books, I suggest keeping this close at hand.

This is rated G, and is really really tame. The fifth book was kind of crazy, what with the teen angst and such, but this takes you back to the happy, carefree world of Harry Potter.