Media Books

ISBN 0399231935 - A quick glance through the pages of the board book edition from G. P. Putnam's Sons didn't give me high hopes for this book, but I have - once again - been surprised by what can work in a board book!

The owl and the pussycat hop in a boat and head out to sea, where Owl proposes in song. They buy a ring from a pig and are married by a turkey... and that, you have to know, hardly tells the tale at all.

In few, very well-chosen, words, Lear's story can hardly be done justice in a simple recap. Jan Brett's illustrations are just slightly less difficult to put into words - the detail initially seemed to me to be a negative: young children tend to like simpler, less busy, illustrations. I think this is one time they will happily learn to love the busy-ness. The remarkable detail of everything, from Owl's feathers to the individual fronds on the palm trees, adds gorgeous depth to the book.

In addition, a second love story - told only in pictures - takes place, courtesy of Brett. Pussycat carries a yellow fish (we're going to call that one a girl) in a bowl onto the boat and the fish is seen on every page. Underwater, another yellow fish is seen "talking" to other underwater animals and each one he talks to joins him as he follows his trapped-in-a-bowl love, until Owl and Pussycat unknowingly have an underwater parade following them. Is everyone eventually with the one they love? Of course they are! Very well-worth picking up for your short person!!

This is a beautifully illustrated version of _The Owl and the Pussycat_. My three-year-old son absolutely loves looking at the whimsical pictures of the fish and other sealife that are abundant in this book. The pictures are done with beautiful colors and have their own story.

What a beautiful version of Edward Lear's poem. I've always been a James Marshall fan, but this book is absolute tops for his illustrations. The colors are glorious, the characters, as his always are, deftly and lovingly handled. I understand that it was his last work, and it's a shame that it is out of print. Buy it, save it, and pass it around.

Jan Brett's Caribbean-inspired illustrations for the classic Edward Lear poem are teeming with life, and the effect is stunning. The colors, textures, and shapes are a visual treat. Each page also has a different pattern of "straw" border, adorned with a different tropical flower.

The pictures overflow with detail, to the point where there's even a sub-story (pardon the pun) involving two yellow fish.

I didn't give it the full 5 stars because the way the text is broken up across spreads makes it difficult to read the poem with any kind of flow, and because some of Brett's admittedly gorgeous illustrations could (and perhaps should) have had more of a connection to the text. For one notable example -- there's no pot of honey on the boat, and we never get a look at the money wrapped up in the five-pound note!

But there's no denying the beauty of the illustrations, and the Caribbean theme works surprisingly well. This is a great book for anyone -- for newcomers to the splendid silliness of the poem as well as for old fans of the poem who are looking for an edition with fabulous illustrations.

I have always liked Lear's rhymes, especially this one, but more than the rhyme, it's the illustrations in this version that I like. We live in Florida and all our sub-tropical and tropical flora and fauna is in this book, beautifully illustrated and very recognizable to my 3 year old daughter. Following along with the secondary story of the two damsel fish (I think they're damselfish, but if they're not, the fault is my fish identification skills, not Brett's illustration) is really fun for her too. A bit further south, but still full of recognizable plants for us Floridians, is another of Jan Brett's books, "The Umbrella."

When I was a little kid, I looked for this book every time I went to the library. Eventhough I didn't know the author's name at the time or how to look up books, I would scour the shelves for purple books (the hardcover version back then was purple). Several years ago, my mom surprised me by buying me the paperback version. I am so excited that now, at 36, with my first baby on the way, I will be able to share this beloved book with my children. The piggy is just so darn cute that I'm pretty sure it started my lifelong obsession with piggies!

My almost three year old friend Harrison just loves this book. He waits on the edge of his seat for the NOPE! from the littlest piggie. He fell asleep cuddling this book two naps in a row. This is a child that could not be torn away from books about trucks, especiallly trash trucks. The rhyming rythms of Charlotte Pomerantz saved Auntie Dawn from the rumble and roar of another front end loader!

This is a great book! I initially borrowed it from our local library. Our kids loved it. It's a great oratory book. I read it for a PreSchool class, in a Kindergarten Class, and for First Graders the book was loved by all who heard it. It has great rhythms, it's funny, it's cute, and the kids enjoy being a part of the story. When the smallest piggy mocks her parents and her brother by saying, "Nope!" in all of the circumstances there has been great participation by the children. It has quickly become one our favorite stories.

Crackling with lipsmackingly silly rhyme and hilarious James Marshall illustrations, this book is like read aloud popcorn -- I bet you can't stop after just one page.

This is my favorite book for storytime reading. Mainly preschool - but I've also had adults keep asking me to read one more page, too.

Charlotte Pomerantz has created a work of art - the ending and internal rhymes, the way she plays and puts words together, the right amount of repetition. This is why people think it's So Easy to write a children's book. This is a deceptively simple title, but if it were easy there would be more books out there like this one. This one of the few books I truly look forward to and love reading aloud - the words taste delicious!!

If you like this one check out "How many trucks can a tow truck tow" also by her.

I have been learning ColdFusion for about 5 months now and have 4 books on it. So far I have this one and 3 others. And out of all the books I have on ColdFusion, I use this one and one other one the most. Even though it is written in ColdFusion MX, it still has a lot of good ColdFusion examples and descriptions on how to make some of the most popular applications. Great book if your looking for a book that is a little cheaper and still has a lot of great info. If your looking for the new breakthrough features of CF8, than mabye you should try somewhere else. But overall, a great book for the price!!

This book is the best Cold Fusion book to date. I use this book daily. The book contains clear examples without a lot of fluff. Can't wait until the next release.

Everithing you need to good programming in ColdFusion. Not to useful if you're interested in Server Configuration.

The only quibble I have with this book is that it is not long enough! Some parts just paraphrase ColdFusion documentation, which is not bad in itself but left me wanting to know more from the author about how he applied the feature to a project.

It would be phenomenal if the author could expand this book or, better yet, put together a new book of more extended examples called "ColdFusion Examples in a Nutshell," similar to "Java Examples in a Nutshell" by David Flanagan.

Having said that, I can now state that this book is a shining example of what a programming book is supposed to be:
(1) Well-Organized. Chapters are grouped logically.
(2) Well-Documented. Almost every topic has at least one example; a few have a complete set of templates to guide the beginning CF (ColdFusion) programmer.
(3) Well-Balanced. In addition to instructive code, the author also provides many in-depth explanations of ColdFusion and database principles.

About six months ago the company I work for recently moved to Coldfusion 5 server (holding off on CFMX until all the bugs are worked out) and since that time, application programming duties have been dumped on me. As a web designer and not a programmer, this was a more than a little worrisome. After trying to wade through Forta's Construction Kit, Hewitt's Core Coldfusion 5, as well as "Mastering Coldfusion 5" it was as if the light was turned on by Rob Brooks-Bilson's Programming Coldfusion.

By the by, those books mentioned are all great books. I own all of them. But when it came down to what I really needed to know and understand Bilson came through like no other. Great job Rob! Keep up the good work.

This book is captivating and has the one of the best first lines I have ever read. The vocabulary and the imagery transports the reader to historic Scotland and provides an interesting combination of magic, intrigue, adventure and friendship. I read very few books more than once, but this is one of them. I love a good story teller, and the author is a rare find.

Dense writing, with a good plot that deepens along the way. The title does not describe the book, as it is more about the relationships that Meg forges with people, rather than about actually questing for Marie. Note for people that do not like historical fiction in general: the historical notes and flavors do not intrude on the story. Ever read a historical fiction novel that continually interrupts the story line with mini-lectures on history? Doesn't happen in "Quest for a Maid." Note 2 for other folks that read poetry... it is delightful to see Sir Patrick Spens come alive.

I just finished reading this book although it has been on my shelf for several years. I'm really sorry now that I waited so long to read it! I loved the characters and the language, although younger children might have a little trouble with it.

It is told from the point of view of Meg, daughter of a scottish shipwright. She grows up very close to her oldest sister, Inge, who everyone believes is a witch. Then, when she is about ten, she saves a little boy from drowning. He is actually the son of her father's friend, Patrick Spens (the boy's name is Davie) and she becomes engaged to him and goes to live at his house to learn how to manage it. Soon they become close friends.

One day, in town she sees the boy who pulled her and Davie out of the water that day being chased through the town as a runaway serf. She quickly comes up with a lie to save him and he becomes her friend and servant. His name is Peem.

The next part of the book is devoted to how they grow up together. Then Master Spens is called to take his ship to bring the Maid of Norroway to England so she can wed the ship. Meg comes along to be the Maid's attendant, and Davie and Peem follow in their own boat. On their return voyage, they encounter a ferocious storm which tears the boat to shreds and drowns many people on board including Master Spens. Davie, Peem, and Meg save the Maid and take her on board their own boat.

However, their problems are not over, many people are pursuing them and they may have to leave the country to be safe. The ending is excellent, a few good plot twists and some feel-good moments. I loved it. :)

I first read this book back in gradeschool but it is one that has always stuck with me and I have looked forward to sharing this with my younger cousins.
The tale of Meg pulls you in as you watch her grow up with all these huge events happening and discovering what it means to idolize someone who may not be worth that kind of respect. Meg's innocent love of her family and friends is what sticks out to me and their love and loyalty in return.
It's a great book for young girls to read, I wish there were more out there like this.

I loved this book! its great it has hard vocabulary but i really enjoyed it!

A compelling read about a young nurse in Viet Nam, her experiences there, and then what happens when she returns home. A lot of the character development happens in the two central relationships of the book -- with Major Doyle (her head nurse) and soldier Michael, both wounded in their own ways, psychological and physical. Ellen Emerson White writes about recovery from trauma in another series too, the President's Daughter series, and the process is completely gripping and involving to the reader.

A Review by Jordan

Rebecca Phillips runs away to serve in the military during the Vietnam War as a nurse. While serving in an American hospital in Vietnam she witnesses every atrocity imaginable, the suffering of dear friends and loved ones. Rebecca herself is suffering from an unbearable guilt of a certain event (for the reader to find out) that has changed her once cheery, friendly disposition into a depressed, miserable person that no one wants to be around. This is a story of a young woman who shuts herself out from the world, and her remarkable journey back.

This novel was extremely well written. The author displays true talent. She creates a realistic world with individual characters who are each separately distinguished by there unique character qualities, ways of life, and linguistic styles. I wouldn't say that it is fast past, but that doesn't make it bad. It keeps the reader interested, constantly revealing new information of Rebecca's mysterious, current situation.

I definitely recommend this book. Anyone would probably enjoy it, but especially women (though it isn't a chick book). However, it does have an advanced vocabulary. And there is some foul language that may not be suitable for young readers.

Twenty-one-year-old nurse Rebecca Phillips has fled a wealthy Bostonian upbringing fraught with issues and essentially exchanged it for a different type of hell --- a field hospital for wounded American soldiers in Vietnam. She works 16-hour days in the chaos of horrific amputations, burns and other casualties, and must often make the call between life and death...something that continues to haunt her day after day.

In a very short time, her co-workers cease to be merely people working with her toward a common goal. Rebecca finds a source of inspiration and friendship in her seemingly perfect direct supervisor, Major Maggie Doyle, and comic relief in Wolf and Spike, two young pilots. At the same time, Rebecca's bonds make her feel the pain all the more intensely when she learns more about the difficult past that led Major Doyle to the Army, and when tragedy befalls Wolf and Spike -- and herself.

But with tragedy often comes some joy, however small and imperceptible it may at first seem. In the most unlikely circumstances, Rebecca meets Michael Jennings, a 19-year-old private who seems instantly infatuated with her. She grudgingly agrees to exchange addresses, and before long, Michael's heartfelt accounts of his thoughts, dreams and daily experiences in the jungle have made her fall in love with him.

When tragedy again strikes, separating Rebecca and Michael not long before her yearlong tour is up, she feels as though she cannot go on. The past year of grief, horror, physical and emotional pain finally combine in a way where Rebecca believes she cannot fit into regular American life ever again. It's at her lowest that Rebecca shows just how strong she can be, and how while she could not control so many other things in her life, she can shape her own destiny.

I read this about a year ago. I am very interested in reading historical fiction, particularly concerning the Vietnam War. I read this book before any others in the Echo Company series, simply because it was the only one at the book store, and I just happened to pick it up. I think that it is a good continuation of the series, and, while I would have liked to learn more about what happened to certain characters when they got back to "the world", I think that this book does a good job of finishing everything up. As a teen who generally dislikes the formulaic teen novels that crowd the shelves of bookstores, I think that this is a great book. I only wish that more people would read it.

One day, about a year ago I, a young seventh grader was browsing in the young adult section and couldn't find any new interesting books or ones I wanted to read that I hadn't already read, so I picked up The Road Home
Since that day I have read this book about a million times. I had my dad buy a used copy from a far off state, and every time we go one a trip I bring it along. I love this book and I don't believe that I once lived without it.
Rebecca, the heroine, is a young nurse who went to Vietnam and served her country. This book has an anti-war theme, but it defends the veterans and exposes their persecution.
Possibly the most enjoyable part for me was to read someone's writing whose humor so perfectly matched mine. I love it.I believe that while some swear words and other may be unappropriate for too young of readers, this book is perfect for anyone aged twelve to aged 120. This book combines the key elements, in my mind, of history, adventure, wit, humor, and romance.
I've read this book so many times that I've almost memorized it. Please try it and tell your friends. This book is too good to be thrown out of libraries. Read it!!!

While writing from a Libertarian and non-religious perspective, Vin takes us across the gamut of current attitudes and the hopes and aspirations of self-sufficient, liberty minded, and responsible persons everywhere. Vin really nails it as to the virus and bacteria infection that holds this land in an ever tightening grip as it chokes our very lives. What kind of virus is this?

1. The Public School. 1.6 Billion dollars later a Kansas City School still cant stop truancy and raise test scores. Vin finally says what many have screamed from years, that you cant fix the public school system because its ALREADY WORKING. Vin give you history of development of public schools, statistics, and then contrasts a public school with home schoolers who are doing tremendously better, at a fraction of the cost, and in fact raises test scores and perfromance across all class, and racial lines!

2. Gun control. I dont even need to describe this canard.

3. Unaccountable Federal Agencies. Whether its the DEA, the INS or even the Farm bureau, the activities of various 'protectors of independance', who used to leave us sorely disappointed, but who know take family farms and get people killed.

4. Restriction of Jury Trials and the rights of jurors to be fully informed of their 1200 year old right to judge not only the facts of the case, but also the law!

5. A lapdog press that does whatever a corporate or government interest dictates. This is why more and more Americans read European newspapers or otherwise use the internet to get the real news. Vin documents the attitude of the press and gives personal experiences with getting his own column published. You need to read Vin's article on the press to fully appreciate the fog let off with the current Iraq situation.

Now all of the above problems are such that they can be solved with the ballot box, and appropriate education. That is why this book is important. When the public propaganda school system is dismantled by default, when the jurisdictions of various government agencies are curtailed by consisten not guilty verdicts by fully informed juries excercising their rights to nullify the law, this apocolyptic revolution that every right wing crackpot spouts as being inevitable will never occur, thank God. ...

For the past several years, there has been a lonely libertarian writing a column for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and now his columns have been collected and sorted by subject. He and I don't agree about absolutely _everything,_ but then, we do agree about the important things, like doing something about the inexorable growth of the Nanny State into an all-devouring shoggoth. If the news media weren't so single-mindedly leftist, his columns would reach the wider audience they deserve.

I was originally turned off by the title of the book. However, it had been recomended to me by a friend. I have to say that it turned out to be the most thoughtful, well reasoned, documented accounting of just how far out of control the Federal Government has gotten over the years that I have ever read. The point is driven home over and over again in this book that every Constitutional protection you thought you had can be abused, with no consequences, by the Federal Government. Think the money you worked hard for all you life is yours? Think again. Federal police, with local police support can seize it and any other property they covet with impunity. And the cop that takes it gets to profit in the transaction. Think you have a right to a trial by a jury of your peers? Wrong again. Jury picking has become an art, designed to eliminate anyone who may be sympathetic to your views. Think the Constitutional guarantee in the 2nd amendment means what it says? Well, you are probably breaking one of the 20,000 gun laws already in affect, directed against honest Americans like you and I, and don't even know it. And if you are caught by one of these "Special Militia" ( ATF, DEA, FBI that we were warned against over and over by the founding fathers) you will spend more time in jail than a bank robber. Think you cannot be murdered by the Federal Police without justice being done to the ones who murdered you or your family members? You are living in a dream world. This book should be required reading by every 9th grade civics class in America. But of course, as is pointed out in this book, these "Government Schools" will do everything in its power to ensure that your children will NOT understand the true meaning of our Constitution.
This is a Must Read.

Finally someone speaks out against the libtard Clinton dolts who were trying to ruin our lives. It is good, no it is stupendous literature that should be read by every American who does not want to be a zombie slave under a socialistic movement that the Dems are trying to pull about as we speak. Long live our freedom and individual responsibility, so that the lazy turds who want the government to think for them can move to Canada or wherever they want to be relocated to.

Author and journalist Vin Suprynowicz has something to say about the political climate in the United States. He doesn't like the government's excesses of control, the lying, the manipulation, and the almost complete disregard for the constitution. A strong proponent of individual liberty and personal responsibility, Vin covers many topics in this book that relate to government run amok, all with an inspired fervor and a very Libertarian angle.

Starting with the first chapter, Vin talks about where Americans have gone wrong since the founding fathers established the constitutional framework that suited the nation well for so many years. Juries are now "stacked" in an attempt to control the outcome of a trial; guns are confiscated in direct violation of the second amendment; people are sent to prison just because they choose to smoke a plant; and school children are indoctrinated to ensure that they are all slaves to the supreme command of the state, from now and into the future.

After commenting directly on the miserable failure of these various government policies, Vin describes countless examples of how government power has been used to manipulate individuals and destroy their lives. You can read all about hard working Americans who had their rights trampled on by government, like a man who saw his farm business wrecked by government officials who declared areas of his farm a wetland, and refused to allow him to farm on it, then refused to allow it to be used for other purposes either, making it worthless. Another true story covers a woman who was harassed by government because she refused to lie (yes, you heard me correctly) and disclose inaccurate ingredient listings on her company's pet foods.

Vin also talks about the government debacle at Waco and he gives sound reasons for why, he believes, the government is solely responsible for the deaths of the Branch Davidian members. He talks about the failed war on drugs, pointing out how government has used this disastrious policy to erode individual liberty.

Suprynowicz is a very outspoken person, and his in- your- face style might make some people uncomfortable. He frequently resorts to sarcasm and he provides countless examples of how government has ruined people's lives through its ruthlessness and its total failure to follow the constitution.

"Send in the Waco Killers" is well- written and easy to understand. Vin is a skilled wirter who knows exactly how to take an ordinarily complex situation and state it in a way that will make sense to most anyone. This book is one of the best I have read, and it was even recognized by freemarket.net as the "Freedom Book of the Year" in 1999. It's a book that everyone should read, just to see how far government has pushed its will on the people and how we, as a nation, are slowly marching toward a police state as each day passes.

I love this book! It's very imaginative and great fun for big and small alike.

What an inspiring book. It brings me and my daughter Jaime much closer together. The story readings never were the same after we found Sophie. Dayle Dodds did it again! Another bestseller!

I like to sing too. I like when she said I have big toes. I like thunderstorms. I like that girl because she is funny.

I don't know how I found this book for my daughter, but it is our favorite. I read the entire story in a southern drawl and sing all of Sophie's songs off key, loud and twangie until we laugh ourselves silly! All this fun sends my daughter off to happy dreams, and sends me off with a smile on my face for the rest of the night. This is not just a story- this is ENTERTAINMENT!!

As Sophie Adams says, "I looooooooove to sing!" and so she does. This is a really special book. Charming story line with a real cowgirl twang to the language. Great illustrations that add to the story. And, songs...wonderful songs that Sophie makes up and sings to her family. And you'll sing too. It's impossible not to. A family favorite and a must for all home libraries.

Any adolescent will identify with the characters and events in this beautifully written story crafted in a deceptively simple, naive fashion that lessons about life, justice, and best intentions surprise the reader throughout the book. Adults will experience memories turbidly tugging the characters into their own adolescent lives. Mixing memory with desire, Coleman successfully stirs dull adult roots with Spring rain while sprinkling confetti on adolescent angst.

This uplifting, thought provoking book is great, pleasurable reading for anyone and everyone.

Intriguing, wonderful imagery, and real characters. The ending gave me chills! Ms. Coleman is a first rate writer! Puts the reader smack in the middle of Saratoga Springs, NY! My family and I, we all loved this book!

Ms. Coleman does it again and even better with a story that has all that you want a mystery to provide PLUS delivers some great characters and fun references and educational tidbits (including the reference at book's end to the fascinating British Library's website.) Tim is a delightful, likeable, human teenage boy reminiscent of Harry Potter, and you find yourself cheering for him all through the book. Ms. Coleman's writing sweeps you along and it is clear, descriptive, inviting, and full of subtleties which make it fun for adults as well as adolescents. You really feel like you are living right along Tim and his various "friends." The lessons to teens to "be comfortable with yourself and your family and to give back to others" make it a feel good book all around.

Great book. I loved the characters. It started out a bit slow but got much better. I really loved the ghost. Edmund is one of the greatest characters ever created. I'm dying to know if the author is going to make a sequel.

Fourteen-year-old Tim Ross has certainly grown accustomed to moving. After all, he knows the drill. Start to settle down, begin to meet a few new people, then be forced to pick up and leave, only to encounter a new moving adventure (or horror), whichever sounds better. But this time, the move is worse. Tim is about to enter the ninth grade. And while moving from place to place in elementary or middle school is upsetting, nothing can be worse than being the new kid in high school. Especially when the high school is in a place totally unfamiliar to Tim, known as Saratoga Springs, New York. This time, his parents didn't even have the decency to let him see the town before they picked up and moved there. Nope, his parents did the unthinkable, and simply rented a huge Victorian mansion, sight unseen, and forced him to accompany them to his new humble abode. The only problem is that the mansion is anything but humble. In fact, not only is it the former home of a Victorian author named Charles Chatsworth, but it's extremely imposing, and looks to be something straight out of a horror movie. Tim knows that there's something creepy about the house on-sight. And, unlucky for him, the entire town agrees with his speculations, titling the mansion as haunted. As if Tim weren't target enough for bullies, considering he's short, unfamiliar with the small-town's local customs, and a total brain, he's now being made fun of for the house he occupies. So now, as opposed to being just the freak, he's the freak living in the freaky house. Tim can't stand the ridicule he's forced to endure each and everyday at his new school, and instantly finds himself both bored and lonely with his surroundings. So he takes up a new hobby. One that could easily make your skin crawl. Tim decides to uncover the missing key to the mansion's attic. Sure, he doesn't know exactly what he'll find behind the closed door, but he has a feeling that it's something spectacular. Something that will make his life more exciting than its ever been before. And, oddly enough, he's right.

I don't read many ghost stories, but sometimes one will capture my attention, and leave me interested in learning more about the mystery involved, as well as the characters. That is exactly the type of impact Alice Scovell Coleman's THE SPIRIT OF CHATSWORTH MANSION had on me. The descriptions of small-town living are right on, and instantly make the reader sympathize with Tim, seeing as how he is rejected on sight by just about everyone he encounters. However, it is the character driven narration, and personality that truly sucks you into the story. Tim is an amazing, brave character, whose ability to walk into any situation alone is remarkable, and awe-inspiring. While he is nervous, and fearful of the unexpected, he faces things head on, from walking into a new school for the first time, to finding a way into the mansion's attic. His attitude is interesting, and his thoughts and narrative truly make him feel more like a friend than a fiction character. The interesting thing that Coleman has managed to do, however, is make the mansion appear more human-like than an inanimate object. Her descriptions of the house, from the staircase, to the gloomy exterior, and even the attic, make it seem as if the house is a living, breathing character, which only adds to the suspense. A spine-tingling mystery that gives you goosebumps!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Riveting. Lyn Spencer writes an excellent account as seen through the eyes of those in command of our airlines during the 911 "emergency". These tragic events hit close to home for every one of us who ever piloted a passenger plant and subsequently turned our nation's attention to the War on Terror. As the author of Inspiring Leadership: Character and Ethics Matter, I devote an entire chapter to the chief pilot of American flight #77, my friend and classmate, Chic Burlingame: and as I read Spencer's book gained a greater appreciation of what he must have faced on this tragic day. Spencer hits a home run as an author and her book is a must read for not only interested Americans but also those who believe that we are not immune to this type of event ever occurring again. Lessons of history are important if we learn from them that we will never repeat our mistakes or drop our guard against those who want to end our free society.

This book is full information from a pilot who was in the skies on 911. It is a real eye-opener. It is worth reading. HOWEVER........THE AUDIO VERSION IS VERY ANNOYING. The reader should have been a man not a woman. My Daughter and I were hooked on the story but could hardly stand the intonation, inflection, and sound of the voice of the reader. We had to stop listening after the last plane crashed. I would recommend an abridged audio version.
I read the book and it was great!!!

I wanted to know more of what happened, the goings on behind the scenes right after and beyond the day of 9\11. This book was very enlightening. It answered how the planes were grounded. Why the airspace over Washington was able to be invaded. Either the terrorists were extraordinarily prepared or "lucky" upon picking that day because of the events that the military had scheduled on that day, thus causing them to be away from the areas where they were needed. It was a great book. A little hard to absorb all the agencies involved-military and civilian but I got over that.

This is a very compelling book. Well written, and a very fast read. The subject was of great interest to me and Ms. Spencer helped me understand the huge dilemma that our country and it's dedicated soldiers and employees faced on Sept. 11, 2001.

This book was awesome. I couldn't put it down. We should never forget what happened on 9/11/01.

I was a bit disappointed in these books, because I love the Crown/Court Duel books so much. These are not like them at all. They seem to be for much younger girls, and there's no romance or anything.

And it was weird but I did not really like Wren. I know I was meant to, but she just seemed like too much of a typical, plucky, orphaned heroine - and she was too matter of fact and accepting of all these amazing events. It wasn't realistic, and I know it's fantasy, but shouldn't the characters still feel real?

I have only read these books once - and I re-read EVERYTHING - so that tells you that they're not that great. But they are probably okay for younger readers.

The book I am reviewing is called Wren To The Rescue by Sherwood Smith. I think this story deserves five stars. It's about a girl named Wren trying to save a friend named Tess who is a princess. The problem is a evil king named Andres kidnaps Tess. Wren attempts to save her friend with the help of a magician and prince. She may just do it. I really recommend this book to everyone. Other books are Wren's Quest and Wren's War.

Emerson, NJ Fifth Grader

After I read Crown Duel, I couldn't wait to read other books by Sherwood Smith. I picked up "Wren to the Rescue", and began reading. I couldn't put it down! After reading Crown Duel, I thought NOTHING could even compare to it--I was wrong. "Wren to the Rescue" has the same nose-glued-to-the-page quality, plenty of action and adventure, lovable characters, and of course, majic. Normally, I'm not really into the whole "evil sorcerer/sorceress-mystical power-wizard school" thing, but this is different. The type of majic that Smith portrays is almost believable, and not the traditional witchcraft that many other books these days are about. I can't wait to read the other two in the series: "Wren's Quest" and "Wren's War"! I would reccomend this book to anyone, but people ages 10 and up will probably enjoy it to its fullest. Happy reading!

Wren to the Rescue is a great read! It keeps you hooked and after you read it, you'll run to find the sequels! I just finished reading it for the second time, and it was just as good as I remembered it.

Wren, an orphan at Three Groves Orphanage, finds out that her friend Tess is really a long lost princess, hidden there because the wicked king Andreus wants to kidnap her. Wren is invited to come back to the palace in Cantirmoor with her friend. Unfortunately, the day after they arrive, Andreus strikes and Tess is spirited off to his stronghold in Senna Lirwan. Wren, being the spunky girl that she is, is not content to sit back and watch everyone else search. She uses a magic spell she saw to transport herself to the magic school, and from there decides to run off with a young magic prentice, Tyron, to rescue Tess.

They decide to find the mysterious mage Idres Rhiscarlan, to see if she will help them. When she refuses, they set out on their own to try to prevent the coming war. After a while, they are joined by Connor, Tyron's friend and a prince. After many adventures, involving warrie beasts, secret passages, bridges, armies, thieves and chraucans, they make it into Senna Lirwan.

Wren drinks from a poisoned stream and Andreus tries to take her, but Idres somehow pops back into the stream and saves her, turning Wren into a dog in the process! Poor Wren! But it doesn't seem to bother her all that much, though she is in danger of being a dog forever.

However, more problems soon come their way. Connor has a terrible secret, Wren's friends are captured, and she must find a way to rescue them alone AND get Tess out, before she becomes a dog for good! How does she do it? Read the book to find out!

Though not on the par of Crown and Court Duet. This book was obviously written for a younger audience, without the same prose, (...) tension, or interesting plot twists that were present in Crown. Still, an absorbing and pleasant read. Recommended- especially for young adults.