Lifestyle Books

Children just learning to read benefit most from books whose themes and subjects are of perennial interest to them. Farms and farm equipment have fascinated young children for generations. This is a fact well known to teacher and parent Stacey Gable who has written "The New Blue Tractor" in the Dog Eared Publishing series 'Readin' Machines'. The full page colored artwork of Richard Neuman is a perfect complement to Gable's single story line text at the bottom of each illustration. The simple story is one of how a farm family obtained their tractor and how they put it to use through every season of the year. An elegant entertainment for early readers, "The New Blue Tractor" is enthusiastically recommended for family, preschool, elementary school, and community library picturebook collections.

Do you have a child in your life that only likes to read about certain things? I do, and I wrote this first reader book for children who like machines, especially tractors! The New Blue Tractor is perfect for children ages 3-6 who like to read about tractors on their own. The simple text and wonderful illustrations will appeal to children. For more information, look for the upcoming readin' machine series while visiting my website.

As an elementary teacher I am always looking for good quality books with superb text and illustrations. This one fits both criteria. Super, engaging text for beginning readers and the illustrations have so much detail to enhance the story line and assist beginning readers. I can't wait for the next book by these two highly qualified artists to arrive.My 4 year old daughter loved this book, this book is not just for boys. Another plus. The questions in the book are wonderful to use as an extension in the reading experience as well. A++

I have received the book The New Blue Tractor this week and I was very impressed with the story line and illustrations. I think it would be great for younger children especially those who are familiar with the farm. The illustrations are very large and colorful and attractive to children. My 3 year old granddaughter loved the book. I am familiar with the artist as he is the husband of my dear cousin in Ohio. It brings back memories of my father's family farms and the years I spent in Ohio as a child. It also represents the area that I have lived in for 35 years in Michigan,a peaceful farming community. I would recommend this book to be added to any classroom book collections or in a home with young children.

This is a beautifully illustrated, wonderfully written book for any child. Whether they're from the city or the country, they can't help but be intrigued by the blue tractor and all it's functions. It's a great little book to educate and inspire little ones. Hope this is first in a series????

This a good book about paying attention to your friends and family instead putting your life in your long distance relationship.Robin Jones Gunn is a great author!!

this is a pretty good book where robin jones gunn once again proves her excellent writing skills. when you start one of her books, you can't put it down til youre done... well, this book is cool, just like all the others in the series, and like the christy miller series. they leave you wondering about your own walk with god and about what will happen next in each of their lives... i wonder who'll have a series next. hopefully someone related to both sierra and christy so we can find out more about them...

I just read another great book written by Robin Jones Gunn.These books are great books.They really strength your relationship with the Lord. I would reccomend these books to anyone.

I love the Christy Miller series and the Sierra Jenson series. One thing about them is I wish there were more books in each series. I also think a series should be done on Christy's best friend, Katie , and one on Tracie, Christy's other best friend.

I love these books they totaly changed my life, after I read them I felt different like I was very happy like something that used to be empty is now full of love, I began to pray every night, go to church as much as I could, and I even wrote to Robin Jones Gunn to try to tell her how much I enjoyed her books. I think half of the reason that I love the christy miller series the most is because we are alike in so many ways.

I thought that this book was really good. The book was so life like. Not like some books where they try to make it life like but no one can ever relate to them. This is practically a dictation of the average teens life. I loved this book and if you have enjoyed other clearwater crossing books in the past you're guarenteed to love this one.

Yet another wonderful book for adolescents. Being thirteen, I love to read stories that reflect all of the things Ms. Roberts includes. She has a very real approach to the world, and the topics she writes about I can really relate to. This book was very good, but overall I think I'm just a huge fan of the series. Looking forward to #9, and I recommend Clearwater Crossing to everyone!

I thought that in this installment of Clearwater Crossing, Roberts lacked development of characters. It wasn't as meaningful as any of the other books in the series. It left every conflict it brought up completely unresolved, and I prefer to have more resolutions. Although I understand that to continue the series, she must leave some conflicts unresolved, I felt this time she left far too many problems unsolved.

Melanie is saddened when another holiday comes. Her father will be drinking and her mother will still be buried in Iowa. She brightens up, though, when her favorite Junior Explorer (Amy) spends the holiday with her. Meanwhile, things with Jesse are going weird.

Ben has never kissed anyone before. He decides to try it--but on who?

Leah is preparing herself for possibly the most embarrassing moment of her life--the finals of the modeling contest in California.

I'm a 12 year old reader from CA. I have read all the Clearwater Crossing books, and this is my favorite. The Melanie/Jesse thing is driving me nuts. Does she love him? Does he love her? At the end, I was almost screaming at Melanie for being so dense. The Ben thing was a little undeveloped, but very interesting. After all, if you don't like the person you're kissing, than the kiss is worth nothing at all. As for Melanie and Jesse, if they're ever going to have a serious relationship, they both need to acknowledgde their feelings, not deny them, and learn to trust each other. I hope this review helped you!

We read this together out loud as a family (3 boys 13, 11, 7). The boys were rolling in the floor they were laughing so hard! (Mom and Dad were hee hawing as well) Mr. Mason makes you feel like you are right there in the thick of things. I could hardly read some chapters for crying through them but turn the page and he'd have you laughing again. I even read a chapter for my Cub Scouts at Pack Meeting and they were begging for more. Young and old everyone will love this book! We can hardly wait for his next book.

Every single person I have shared your book with has loved it.

My father just finished it and absolutely could not say enough wonderful things about it. In fact, he asked me if the New York Times had read it and said they really needed to share it with the rest of the world. And, he's buying a copy to give to my Uncle for Christmas.

My 9-year-old son even told me how much some of the kids at his school were enjoying reading it and grabbed his copy to start reading it on his own.

That is really, really saying something when a piece of literature can cut across so many generations and bring so much Christmas joy to so many. Congratulations and thanks for sharing a piece of your Arkansas childhood with the rest of us!

Excellent story of life in the rural South from years gone by. I would
very favorably compare this book to John Grisham's 'A painted House'.
It exemplifies the upbringing that formed this generation. For all ages,
a really good tale.

Not classically a Christmas story, THE RED SCARF is a look at life in Arkansas in the fall of 1944. The reader meets a young Richard Mason. He is an eleven-year-old sixth-grader. His best friend is John Clayton. He has a dim-witted dog named Sniffer. And he lives in a small town with approximately 650 residents.

Richard has always had a crush on Rosalie. They've almost been boyfriend and girlfriend. But then Richard does something stupid, like any eleven-year-old boy would do. So to get back into her best graces, he decides he will buy her a Christmas present. Richard has it on the good authority of one of Rosalie's friends that the red scarf in Samples Department Store is just what Rosalie would love.

The only problem is that Richard doesn't have enough money to buy the scarf. At least not since his mom made him spend his paper route money on a new pair of shoes. But that doesn't deter Richard. He keeps getting up at 5am to deliver the newspapers to the townsfolk.

Taking place during the span between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, Richard tells the story of his efforts to buy the scarf for Rosalie. During the course of the month, the reader gets to experience Richard's daily life. The reader meets many interesting characters from the town of Norphlet. Among some of the most unique are Uncle Hugh, the old black man in the woods that Richard delivers groceries to every week; Bubba, the large cook at City Café, who's pretty daunting with a skillet; Curly Sawyer, the drunk constable; and many others. The reader also finds out about how accident-prone Richard can be. And the reader gets to experience the hardships on a family during the end of World War II.

Richard's spirit is pure and the story is infective. Mr. Mason weaves a sweet tale in spite of the hardships that his main character has to struggle with. As mentioned in the first sentence, this isn't a traditional Christmas story, but the spirit rings out for a joyous holiday season for everyone.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

The author has written an excellent Christmas story with a most unusual ending. The style of writing is reminiscent of Mark Twain and captures the readers attention from page one to the surprise ending.

The novel recounts the struggles and adventures of two young boys who are best friends in rural South Arkansas during the mid-forties. Despite all obstacles with which the boys are faced, they do have a very Merry Christmas.

This novel is excellent reading and I recommend it to all.

After trying Regina's Herbed Ravioli Soup for the first time, I was floored at how good vegetarian could be. If this was vegetarian, I could easily convert. Well, I didn't convert, but I still grab Regina's book off the shelf from time to time, and I've never once been disappointed by a single recipe. Even my father, a devout carnivore, afraid to try new things, has always been pleased with Regina's fare. I can't wait for her second book to arrive! In the meantime, I highly recommend this book to anyone! You WON'T be disappointed!

This is from Chris, the sometimes sous chef/helper/foil for Regina on her TV series. This is the softcover version of Regina's first book, with all the same great recipes. This cookbook isn't just for vegetarians (I'm not one). It's for anyone who likes good food. If you are an omnivore, this is the perfect book to provide great meals many times every week. You won't miss a thing. If you're a vegan, just substitute non-dairy alternatives. It can move you into new cuisines with ease, fill you up, keep you light, provide wide variety, and most are fun to prepare. I ate it while we taped it. I use the book constantly at home. This book takes vegetarian eating out of bland or boring and into great tasting, filling and fun.

I highly recommend this cookbook. The recipes are quite simple to make and soooooo delicious. My two favorite things about this book is the recipes do not call for exotic ingredients, so I'm constantly referring to this for my daily cooking. And, I love the wine suggestions following each entree. I can hardly wait for her next book to come out. I own too many cookbooks, but this is the one I am constantly using on a daily basis. I can't live without it.

This is from Chris, the sometimes sous chef/helper/foil for Regina on her TV series. This cookbook isn't just for vegetarians (I'm not one). It's for anyone who likes good food. If you are an omnivore, this is the perfect book to provide great meals many times every week. You won't miss a thing. If you're a vegan, just substitute non-dairy alternatives. It can move you into new cuisines with ease, fill you up, keep you light, provide wide variety, and most are fun to prepare. I ate it while we taped it. I use the book constantly at home. This book takes vegetarian eating out of bland or boring and into great tasting, filling and fun.

This book is pretty good - there are a decent number of recipes that are delicious and have become a staple in my diet.

Standouts incode New England Risotto, Polenta Mexicana, Gumbo Stew (vegan) and Stuffed Zucchini Provencal.

However, there are a few problems:
1. too much dairy: I am not vegan, but after eating a few recipes from this book, I feel cheesed out. Many of the recipes are quite heavy. The Smoked Mushroom Lasagna, which many people rave about, was too greasy, cheesy, and rich for me.

2. Butter: Regina wrote this book during brief period in which people thought butter was healthier than margarine. Therefore margarine is never mentioned, only butter. Do I really need to use so much butter?

3. Instruction problems/omissions/vagueness: Sometimes, Regina forgets to mention where a certain ingredient comes in - it's in the list, but never mentioned in the text. So you have to guess. Also, she says "add seasoning to taste" often. I wish she would provide a range, since I have no idea.

4. Recipes take more time than one would expect: The blurb on the jacket implies this is a good book for busy people ("She has found wonderful shortcuts" "without going to time-consuming extremes"), however, most of the recipes take plenty of time to make. I mostly use this book for weekend cooking.

This book would be more useful if there were estimated preparation times for each recipe.

5. There is no vegan recipe index, although I've seen this in several other cookbooks.

Faults aside, this is still a good book to have, as long as you are not vegan.

Another nice aspect is the huge variety of cheeses used in the recipes. If you are curious about what other cheeses taste like and what they are used for, this cookbook will help you explore them - Gruyere, Edam, Smoked Gouda, Provolone, etc. You'll wonder why so many people limit themselves to American, Cheddar and Mozarella.

I first used this book with my second graders as a pre-service art teacher last spring and knew I needed it for my own classroom library! This is truly a picture book with limited text to help children see what Ann Jonas intended with her black and white silhouette imagery.

Be prepared for "ooohs," "aahs," and excited gasps as you make the trip home from the city with the family in the book!

I had read this book many years ago and needed a fun book to read to primary aged kids when I subbed in a second grade class room. They loved it as much as I did. It was also a book I put in the PEO educational basket our chapter donated to local community college to raise funds for scholarships!

I am a preschool teacher and this book was a real hit with my 3 to 6 year olds it really sparks their imagination. On child said I really like that the pictures are in black and white because you could imagine what the colors are. They loved guessing what the pictures were when they were upside down.

This book is an excellent visual and text example of circular endings. I use it in both my reading and writing workshops. Very neat concept when you flip the book upside down to see new pictures and text.

"Round Trip" is a book with a surprise! Each black and white scene tells half of a story and then the book can be turned upside down to tell the second half. Drawings work either right side up or upside down and are visual delights. We read it over and over.

We are all in unison just like those sixteen cows! All the other books in are cabinet are MOOoooVED over when my [...] year old sees this book! It is a delightful read and the rhyme text is fun to read. Definitly a gift that I would be proud to give to any young reader!

This book is such fun. We have read is so much that my two year old now recites it from memory. I get a kick out of it every time. For some reason it just sings.
"In truth, cows aren't too bright."

What a fun book. The rhymes catch you up and the graphics are very appealing. My kindergartner loves to practice her reading with it. Completely worth the money spent, particularly if you have an early reader or a toddler that just likes cows, cowboys, and cowgirls. Very sweet book.

I am not sure who enjoys this book more...me or my children! I love reading the rhyming verses and getting my kids involved by "Mooing". It's fun, the illustrations are great, and it's easily become a favorite book in our house!!!

"Sixteen Cows" is one of those rare children's books that is not only fun for the kiddies, but may actually be more amusing for the adult reading it.

Lonely Cowboy Gene and lovely Cowgirl Sue share a fence, but despite their neighborliness and like herds of eight humorously named bovines, a bit of competition keeps the two at odds. The deus ex machina of a tornado rips down the fence and the cows do the rest, intermingling hopelessly, while refusing to hear the calls to come back to their respective sides. Forced to cooperate, the rival cowpokes finally drop the competition and work together. Can love be far behind?

Clearly there is plenty to like in the book. Many kids' picture books fall down in the text, but not here. Lisa Wheeler's long rhymes capture the reader's heart and flow nicely, complemented well by the sprawling, glowing, watercolor images of Kurt Cyrus. Together there is a synergy that makes this book oddly compelling. Little humorous touches abound - such as the cow names and the items tossed up by the tornado - that may mean more to adults than kids, so while my toddler son likes the book, his dad enjoys it even more. (At the cost of a star, the backstory of the book may be lost on the very young, who may not fully grasp love stories and weddings.)

With its large illustrations and silly/sweet story, this paean to the prairie is clearly designed to be read out loud and often. So pick out your best West Texas drawl, mosey on up to your favorite lil' pardner, and share the fun of "Sixteen Cows."

This is a wonderful little book. If you enjoy "all things tea" then this is the book for you. Easily read, with details about proper etiquette for every type of social and business situation. It truly would be a nicer world if people (including children) were more often taught these things. Mrs. Johnson intersperses the chapters with interesting personal stories and recipes. I highly recommend it.

I bought this book because I was never a tea drinker, but always felt left out as the popularity of now drinking tea started. I knew nothing about different types, how to serve it, what to serve with it, and just the simple things everyone knows. This book helped me with all of that and now I even like tea. After a few hours of reading, I know more about tea etiquette than anyone I know.

I am starting a small catering business doing tea parties! This book is perfect! It has everything you always wanted to know about preparing, enjoying and serving tea. From the different types of tea from Cream Tea to High Tea and what to do with the tea bag after you've taken it out of your tea cup. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to serve and to enjoy a proper afternoon of tea. Thank you for being so thorough.

This is a very informative and enjoyable book. A pleasure to read, it gets right to the point and does not waste time. I would recomend this book to anyone interested in Tea for Business and Pleasure!

I find this book very useful and informative. The author presents the material in a concise and down to earth manner. The etiquette portion of this book contains do's and do not's that leaves no questions. The tone of the book is conversational just like the topic it explains. If you are thinking about having a tea party for the first time or attending to one, this book is a must read!

This has been one of my favorite books to read to my children and now to my grandchildren but it may be an even more important book for adults who will recognize the subtle lessons that corrolate with our busy lives. When our lives get too busy (too noisy) we disengage from our body and spirit and live only in our complex and critical left brain. It is only when we remove some of life's distractions that we can re-engage with our mind, body and spirit and relax. This happens when we are doing something quiet that we truly enjoy such as hiking, watching a sunset, or sitting by a waterfall. When we are quiet and direct our thoughts within, healing has room to take place.

Great classic story, wonderful illustrations and story line. Wish I could have this in a board book format. My 9 month old loves the "swoosh swoosh" noises!

I was a substitute librarian, and was thrust into a storytime. The librarian handed me this boook and said it was a great ice breaker. I read it to the class, and it's true! This book practically tells itself - and the kids loved making the animals sounds with me. Well, I decided I was having so much fun, I shifted gears and became a children's librarian, and used this book a LOT! Not only fun with the various animals, but good vocabulary (hissed, swished, etc.) and the children really do get to know new words and also know instinctively what they mean. I cannot praise it highly enough - bought it for both my nephews!

My mom was so happy to get this. She used to read it to us as kids.

This was my favorite book when I was little. I made my mother read it to me at least one hundred times a day. Now that I have children of my own, I want to share it with them. My 3 year old son knows most of the book by heart now. I look forward to cuddling up with my children every night before bed to read this story together.

After I finally convinced my 9 y/o son to read The Cricket in Times Square, he was hooked on Harry, Tucker and Chester. He read this book and was sad it was over. Get the whole series, plus Oscar Lobster's Fair Exchange if you have a boy who doesn't like to read too much because these characters are all interesting to boys. Girls love them too, but it is hard to find books that appeal to boys, besides Captain Underpants that is.

This was the best book I ever read! The book was about were Tucker (a mouse) and Harry (a cat) to go to help their friend Chester (a cricket) save his home and the home of other animals on the countryside. My farviote character was Tucker a very nice and smart This is a great book it got me to read all the other books in this series and I never read. You won't be disapointed!!!!!!!!!!

This was the best book I ever read! The book was about were Tucker (a mouse) and Harry (a cat) to go to help their friend Chester (a cricket) save his home and the home of other animals on the countryside. My farviote character was Tucker a very nice and smart This is a great book it got me to read all the other books in this series and I never read. You won't be disapointed!!![.]

Except for Charlotte's Web, this is perhaps the best young person's book in existence. The narrative makes you visualize so thoroughly you will be left with the feeling that you have seen a movie. Don't miss this book!

I wanted to read this book because the book I read before Tucker's Countryside was the Cricket in Time Square. This book is the sequel to the Cricket in Time Square. When I read that there was a sequel to the Cricket in Time Square I looked for it in my bookcase to see if I had it. When I found it I began to read the back of the book and it seemed interesting to me.

The book was about a bird named Robin took Tucker mouse and Harry cat to Connecticut where their old friend Chester cricket lived. They found each other and Chester showed them around the countryside. They found out that his home was going to be destroyed by the bulldosers to make room for the new homes. The towns people won't have a place to play either. Now it is up to Tucker mouse and Harry cat to save the land.

My favorite part of the book was when Harry cat found this girl that would take care of him. This part is my favorite because the girl reminds me of myself because I have five cats and three of them are strays. Harry cat was going to stay at the little girl's house, but he decided to go back to Time Square with Tucker mouse towards the end of the book.