Lifestyle Books

This is a wonderful book in so many ways. I must give it a five star rating although I do suggest a caution. My caution isn't about the book but about the message of a blind person riding a horse. An average horse cannot be used this way even if it is gentle and loving.

The horse must have special training just as a seeing eye dog gets special training. Most dogs will not keep a blind person from falling off a curb, stepping out in traffic, stepping in a puddle, etc. A loving, gentle, untrained horse will not watch out for low tree limbs, traffic, etc.

It is possible for a horse to become a seeing eye horse. If you have a visually handicapped child who wants a horse, it is important to help the child look at facts rather than fictional concepts of horses. You might do an internet search for seeing eye horse, pet therapy, and other information about pets which help handicapped people.

It is a wonderful book for handicapped children and for their friends and family as well! I highly recommend it.

Mandy's family live on a farm and it's up to the children to help out with the chores. Dad gives them each one day off though and Mandy chooses to spend her day with her horse, Ben. Beautiful descriptions of experiences, as felt through Mandy's other senses, reveal that she is blind. Her independence is wonderful and the book is a sensational way to naturally introduce children to live with a disability.

This book is very interesting and wholesome. It is family life on the farm. This little girl gets to spend her special day with her best friend, a horse. This girl is also blind.
The reader does not reallize until the end of the story that Mandy Sue is in fact blind. The writer portrays Mandy Sue as a regular person, which of coarse she is. Every school should have a copy of this book. This book leaves you with a good feeling and insight that everyone is equal. The pictures are beautiful to look at and farm and family life is shown in a postive light. Mandy Sue is a happy girl who lives on a farm, and when she rides her favorite horse, she is free. She can ride fast and feel the wind in her hair. She is alive.Mandy Sue's horse gives her the opportunity to express herself and feel safe and loved by her horse.

This is a wonderful children's book. It is well written and illustrated. The ending is superb! It truely makes us appreciate each and every day. This is one of three books out by this author....I look forward to more!

This is a great story with a very positive representation of a young blind girl. She is shown to be a self sufficient, capable, and independant youg lady, not helpless like the blind are sometimes viewed. A very good story for all, young and old, blind and sighted. I highly recommmend it!

"The Milk Makers" is a Moo-masterpiece when it comes to educational value it scores big! The illustrations are simple the text is clear for even young toddlers and lets face it adults are sure to learn something new as well. I picked this book up after I found out how well it described the milk process cause as far as my daughter is concerned sure she knows she drinks "cows milk" but the process in which it goes through from the cow to the supermarket is huge and she was purely in the dark about it. This book is sure to be a crowd pleaser for inquisitive little minds!

I understand why this was a reading rainbow book. It is a great experiment activity non-fiction book. This book exaplins how milk is processed. Most children most likely think that the milk in the fridge comes from the store. What they may not realize is that it comes from a farm miles away. This book goes into great detail how milk is made, and the makeup of cattle. it also gives brief descriptions of variuos types of cattle and dairy products. The illustrations use labels and bright colors. I think this is a good non-fiction book for children. It is in a language that they understand and it is easily read. The book is also very accurate as are all, her books. Gibbons was raised on a dairy farm and has made numerous trips to the dairy farm.
In close this is a good book for children, especially for a science unit. I would have this in my classroom library for childen to perhaps complete a report about milk or other products. Gibbons has a great series on the way variuos things are made.

This is a great book for kids - it is interesting, informational, and fun!

This book is highly enjoyable and informative for children, and I think that every child with an interest in farming would be happy to own a copy. I strongly recommend this book to parents everywhere!

this was such a great story for our kids to read - we live near a dairy farm and this book gave them a lot of insight into the real working of a dairy farm - it answered a lot of their questions and ours too! We love this book!

"The Music of Black Americans: A History shares some of the most important, yet fascinating events of black America".

Book was in mint condition! I was completely satisfied.
Kimberly :-)

Cosa consigliare ad un appassionato di musica afro-americana che, conoscendo un po' di inglese, decidesse di leggere qualcosa per cui valga veramente la pena di fare un po' di fatica?
Personalmente non avrei molti dubbi: credo che l'opera più completa che esiste sul mercato e che associa alla competenza una buona leggibilità anche per chi non è di madre lingua sia proprio questo.
Eileen Southern è Professor Emerita di Musica e Studi Afro-americani alla Harvard University di Boston, fondatrice ed editrice della rivista The Black Perspective in Music, che è stata pubblicata dal 1973 al 1990, e autrice, coautrice ed editrice di numerosi volumi sulla musica e la cultura afroamericana.
Il libro in questione, di 678 pagine, ripercorre tutta la storia della musica afroamericana dalle origini (1619) fino all'ultimo decennio del XX secolo. L'opera è suddivisa in 14 capitoli ed è completata con un'accurata bibliografia e discografia e un indice dei nomi e dei temi.
Il linguaggio è piano e comprensibile anche a chi non abbia una quotidiana familiarità con l'americano scritto.
Il libro della Southern affronta tutti i diversi generi musicali dei neri americani, dal canto in congregazione alla musica urbana del primo ottocento, dai worksongs ai traveling road shows, dal blues al ragtime, ecc..
Il taglio critico trasversale, che analizza l'emergere della musica nera all'interno della più ampia realtà sociologica e culturale dell'America Settentrionale, consente di cogliere con chiarezza le fasi dell'evolversi della cultura afroamericana, non solo musicale. Si tratta di un'opera più descrittiva che interpretativa, in tal senso più adatta a chi, volendo avviare la propria conoscenza del fenomeno musicale afroamericano, non è interessato all'analisi del significato profondo della musica e dei testi e a conoscere i diversi modelli interpretativi proposti dagli studiosi.
Fondamentale!

I am using this book for my masters thesis and I must say that I am very pleased. Ms. Southern did an excellent job researching the subject and the book is put together well. There is so much information involved!!! She starts from the VERY beginning and smoothly takes you through the ride of African-American music. Each section is very thorough. This text is perfect for anyone who is researching the subject or just wants to gain knowledge on this rich music. A+++

Have you ever heard about The National Negro Opera Company? Founded by Mary Cardwell Dawson, the company made its debut in Pittsburgh in 1941. This is but one of the fascinating things you can discover in this marvelous book. If you have an interest in music of whatever variety, your library is incomplete without this book.

This 3rd edition was done in 1997, thus it is quite up-to-date in its coverage of classical, jazz, rock, pop, gospel, swing, ragtime or blues. If it is music as practiced, performed or composed by people of color, this is where you'll find valuable information about it. Beginning with Africa and continuing to the present day, the four sections detail this rich history: Song in a Strange Land (1619-1775); Let My People Go (1776-1865); Blow Ye the Trumpet (1865-1919) and Lift Every Voice (1920-1996). The latter section is particularly informative reading with sections on Jazz, The Harlem Renaissance, and the Mid-Century Decades. It is these years in which artists of color finally took their well-deserved place on the musical stages of the world. Of course, they had been visible in their own world, and the popularity of such major composers as Scott Joplin and Duke Ellington allowed them to more or less effortlessly cross-over to the 'white' world. Lena Horne, the Mills Brothers, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway were--and still are--names to be reckoned with in any list of fabulous performers.

And then there was Marion Anderson who finally made her way to the Metropolitan Opera at the very end of her career, making way for Robert McFerrin, Leontyne Price, Jessye Norman, Simon Estes and George Shirley, who were very much pioneers in their respective repertoire. Today, thankfully, artists of color are not at all rare on the concert and/or opera stages of the world. But lest we forget the individual trauma these artists suffered in order to be able to compete in this way, we need to remember the past while we are glorying in the present. This book will, if you let it, open your mind and your ears to wonderful, glorious sounds, without which our world would be a much quieter and poorer place.

The author of this book is the renowned Eileen Southern (Professor Emerita of Music and Afro-American Studies at Harvard University) who is herself a musician as well as a writer, and is eminently qualified to illuminate The Music of Black Americans to the world in general.

Pages 613 through 646 comprise a rich bibliography and discography; the index takes up 41 pages. NO music lover should be without this invaluable reference work.

Because I have my own wood shop and make toys for my grandkids I was attracted to this book when I first saw it. I have given it to my grandkids and to the grandkids of many of my friends and neighbors. The reports I haven gotten back from those who have received it tell me that it is their child's favorite book. The kids love the animals and especially the sounds the tools make. They also are able to learn the names of the tools used in the book. It just might spark an interest in creating wood objects for some of these children.

The fun noises, the familiar song, colorful illustrations and terrific ending make this a particularly good book to read to a group of children.

It is as good as a new one, but at an awesome price. Thanks!!

We came across this in our daughter's playgroup and had to own it -- it's a lovely version of the old song but integrates "non-standard" gender views by letting female animals take charge in the woodshop. The sounds accompanying each tool are wonderful, as are the illustrations. Our two-year old loves it and wants to spend more time in the garage now!

This book is definitely worth having. Our 2 1/4 year old son (who likes tools and loves music) loved the twist on a familiar and loved song. The depiction of Old MacDonald as a sheep and as a female!!!! who has a woodshop!!!! makes this a must have book to balance out, for both boys and girls, the lack of gender-neutral characters and over representation of gender-stereotypes that is ubquitious in both books and songs. The sounds used for the various tools are not that good so you may want to make up your own but otherwise the pictures and text are good and what Old MacDonald and the animals are building makes for a cute surprise ending.

Dori Chaconas never disappoints with her thoughtful and poignant stories. This one especially fits the bill! A tremendous and loving story between parent and child that is timeless. Her poetic rhythmic writing is enough to warm any heart on a cold winter's day.

What a lovely book to share with a young child! The warmth and love shared between the father and daughter come through in both the lilting language and rich illustrations. A perfect gift, especially for families who either live in snowy places or wish they did.

If there is anybody ever left out of the baby shower process it's Papa. In fact, all to often we don't think of fathers being involved emotionally with infants, especially girls. That's one of the reasons this book is so spectacular. This is a special text with special illustrations about a father and his baby girl, exploring the world together On a Wintry Morning. They bundle up and head out on a white, crisp day, to follow bunny trails, make snow angles, take a sleigh ride, and even buy a new pup. The book comes full circle with daddy and daughter back home, cozy, dozy and warm.

The illustrations are soft and wondrous, with obvious emotional investment by the artist. The text is seamless--a lilting, musical lullaby. Look for this book to win awards. But most importantly watch it win hearts. A perfect book for fathers everywhere, to encourage and validate father/child relationships. If you're off to a baby shower for a special couple with a new baby girl, wrap this book up and include it in your gift. You won't be sorry. It's a treasure to pass on from generation to generation.

This is the most beautiful picture book I've seen in a long time. Each illustration is truly a work of art. The short verses sound effortless and perfect, and celebrate the simple joys of life and family. The picture of the little girl investigating bunny tracks, and of daddy and baby snuggled for a nap, will be reassuringly familiar to any young child who sees them, and will tug at the heartstrings of adults. This would be a wonderful gift for any new parent, especially fathers.

The art, by Caldecott winning Stephen Johnson is fabulous. The text, written by Dori Chaconas, sings! The art and text together are a perfectly paired feast for the eyes and ears. Children will love repeating the lyrical phrases. Adults will love how Johnson captures the special relationship between a father and his baby daughter as they spend a day in the snow. The ending, when the father tucks his little girl in for a nap is absolutely precious! A great gift for every daddy and daughter. Also makes a wonderful baby shower gift. I plan to give this right alongside Goodnight Moon. Lovely!

In this particular book, Caroline is 9 years old. About a year or two after moving into their new house near Concord, Caroline and her siblings struggle to survive in their new home, hoping they will fair better then in their first year. One the changes they have to struggle with is a new step-father, Mr. Holbrook. Caroline worries that having a new father might replace her real father, whom died in a shipping acciddent.
But after talking to her mother and studying Mr. Holbrook, Caroline realizes the kindess of her new step-father, and though he cannot replace her true father, she comes to accept him as her new, "Pa".
For a litle while, her life goes smoothly with her family, but then an epidemic of Cholera breaks out in Wisconson. Caroline's family is soon affected, and now she must use all her strength and courage to help her them.
This particular book is one of my favorites, and it is also the most difficult to find! I mean look at it, its 45 dollars or more, I'm not paying that much! I find the way the prices soar, ridiculous and a little greedy. Until they reprint it, I'll just have to survive without it.
Overall though, I love this book. I encourage anyone to read this series.

we guess this is a rare book, since it's selling for over 2,000 dollars. we got it for five dollars, and am now are thinking we should have got five copies if it's selling for so much. But the book itself was great. It's our favorite in the caroline years.
Nataley and Susanna

This book is very well written. It describes Caroline's and her siblings time in the new town of Concord. There is also a drastic epidemic that rips through the community of Concord, and several of members of the Quiner family grow quite ill. There are also several of other obstacles and points that challenge this young family.

This book is about Laura Ingall's Ma when she was nine years old. It reads very much like all the little house books about Laura Ingalls but is even easier to read. In ma's family there were three boys and three girls. Ma was the middle girl. All six of the kids like each other and get along well. Ma's name is Caroline. Her father has been lost at sea five years ago and her mother works cooking for workmen. One day Caroline overhears one of the workmen ask her mother to marry him! We learn a lot in this book like how to preserve vegetables for the winter, what kind of food to buy to last all winter, how to make a beehive, and how to behave when you're invited to a fancy house. There are also some songs like in the little house books about Laura. And we get to meet someone who Laura could have been named after. If only our parents and grandparents could write books like this about their lives. This is truly an enjoyable book.

Caroline's mother has a suprise. Caroline is getting a new Pa. Mr. Holbrook. While Caroline likes having a new Pa her brother Henry doesn't quite feel the same way. Then disaster strikes. Cholera. Everyone catches it except for Joseph and Thomas. Then when everyone gets over the cholera. Then a disaster of a different sort happens frost they have to harvest their vegtables before it hits.

Ms Holtzmans common sense approach to child saftey, offers a step by step check list on how to get it right.
She teaches the parent, how common sense organization can help prevent an everyday accident from becoming a tragedy.
Her suggestions on preventing dangerous situations for your children, make parenting safer and easier.

The Panic-Proof Parent is an exceptional resource for parents. Compared with any other book about child safety, Debra Holtzman has done an unprecedented job researching all the details that parents need to know, and she presents the information in a clear, concise, and effective way. This is not a simple repeat of the basic information you can find everywhere. It is an extremely thoughtful piece of work that reflects both her educational training as well as her deep caring about children. In an effort to thoughtfully address the safety needs of my family, I have looked through countless books on the subject. If I had it to do all over again, I need only have purchased one book - this book.

A book geared toward child safety, "The Panic-Proof Parent" offers a wealth of information to its readers. Numerous categories of safety cover everything from bicycle and community safety, to art supplies and food safety.

There are informative and detailed checklists and helpful tips in each category, and a list of resources (including websites), so readers can find out more information. Parents will love the room-by-room safety checklists -- we can never be too safe!

We recommend "The Panic-Proof Parent" -- it's detailed, informative, and easy-to-read. Every who cares for a child should own a copy!

If you read only one book on parenting ever, this is without a doubt the book you should read. Let's face it, your kids will be fine if you do not pick the perfect baby-mobile for them (as is the sort of topic included in most parenting books). However, it is too often that we see children severely injured or even killed because parents, intelligent and educated parents, were not made aware of the often quite simple safeguards that must be in place for our children to stay healthy and safe. As the mother of two very busy boys, I have found it overwhelming to think of every possible danger my boys may encounter. The news reports of children choking to death on everyday foods or strangling themselves with household items jolts our attention. We make the simple adjustments to safegauard our children from those particular hazards. However, most parents do not have the time to think of every possible danger or the information needed to keep our kids safe from them. Debra Smiley Holtzman has done this for us and done it well. Ms. Holtzman has tackled a huge amount of information and made it all easy to read, easy to retain and easy to implement. This is the most important parenting book I have read and I have read many.

Did you know that you should never give honey to a baby under the age of one year? Or that lead may be present in your drinking water? How about the fact that you should make sure your water heater thermostat should be set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower? If any of these items comes as a surprise to you, then you need the "Panic-Proof Parent."

Chock full of information that will help you create a safe lifestyle for your family, this book is one you should not be without. I was amazed to read about how many every day dangers are lurking in my house, car, in the air, and even in the food I feed my family.

I have read other safety books, but no other book is so comprehensive and well organized. The chapters are broken into a logical format, starting with recommendations that expectant mothers should do to guard their fetus.

Drinking water, pesticides, babyproofing, preventing burns, and pool safety are just a few of the crucial chapters that you will pour over when you get your hands on this terrific book.

Every parent worries about their children (it comes with the blessing) and some things are out of a parents hands. However, there are many precautions that you can take if you're armed with the appropriate information. This book will help empower you to do what you can to help ensure a happy, healthy environment for you and your loved ones!

A must for all parents!

The author does an excellent job in humanizing the network marketing profession as it is performed by Rexall Showcase International, both the company and its growing independent distributor force. He leaves no doubt that network marketing done with the right company that has the right products and the right moral ethics is the most compelling way for any of us to build wealth - and Rexall Showcase International is THAT company.

James Robinson has done a great job presenting an old company with a new business plan that looks at trends and capitolizes on them. His handling of the material is concise yet comprehensive and leaves the reader with no question about the viability of this business opportunity. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to add to or diversify their income on a part-time basis as it looks like a no-brainer to be a prescription for success.

Mr. Robinson gives a peek inside one particular company in the industry called network marketing. His experienced comments combined with those of several leaders in Rexall Showcase Intn'l. combine to really let one see what goes on, how it's done, and why. I found it to be a portrait of a group of very diverse individuals who have discovered a common way to do more good than they could have, by branching out into this type of business. The enthusiasm revealed is similar to that in the autobiograhical book by Mary Kay Ash.

This is a well written account of the rise of Rexall Showcase International and the vision of the people who made it work. Distributors stories are inspiring and encouraging and reveal that with the available tools and support, it's up to each individual to determine how far up the ladder he wants to go. Robinson presents some pros - and some cons - of network marketing in general and the entepreneural opportunity of Rexall Showcase International in specific.

"Prescription for Success" not only reviews the industry of network marketing itself, but it spotlights the industry's leading frontrunner: the preventative healthcare/natural medicines division of the well-known original Rexall Drug Corporation, Rexall Showcase International.

This is a great "behind the scenes" look by an unbiased, well-informed and savvy observer of both the industry and what it is that makes a network marketing company GREAT. The testimonies are captivating and the success-track of the company is portrayed in a story-like, yet business-oriented fashion.

The information is factual and down-to-earth, and makes the book an easy read. I thought I already well-understood Rexall Showcase International's background and strengths, since I'm an "insider" of sorts, leading (with my husband) one of the fastest growing RSI independent distributor organizations in the country--so I expected to be a bit bored. However, I was delightfully surprised and continually fascinated by what I learned from this book. If you want to understand the industry and the mechanics of what may end up to be the most successful MLM of all time, don't pass this one up--whether or not you are a current distributor, or care to become one.

PRICE OF ADMISSION
LESLIE MARGOLIS

Rating: 3.5 Enchantments

Jasmine Green's life has been turned upside down. The screenplay that she wrote about her life, with the barely veiled characters of herself, her dad, her brother, their step mom, everyone has been discovered and credited to her recently deceased boyfriend. And if that wasn't bad enough, it's the hottest thing going right now and her father's acquired the screenplay.

PRICE OF ADMISSION is a fun book, chronicling Jasmine's discovery that the thinly veiled diary is about to make Austin's parents a million dollars and potentially ruin her own life in the process, especially when she gets a copy of the screenplay from her father, she knows one look at it will ruin everything, all her family secrets (like her brother hooking up with their twenty-three year old step mom) will be out for all the world to see.

The book has a fun premise and you have to feel sorry for Jasmine as she tries to figure out a way to come clean about the whole thing. And just when things are looking up, they come crashing right back down again. Sprinkled throughout the story are scenes from the screenplay, which highlight different aspects of Jasmine/Jess's life. From her mixed up love life to finding out her father's remarrying-again-to finding her brother kissing her new stepmother.

I really liked Duke, Jasmine's best friend and would have liked to have seen a little more of him in the book. Some parts of the story did feel a little rushed, but PRICE OF ADMISSION is still a very enjoyable read.

You can visit Ms. Margolis' website at www.lesliemargolis.com

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
April 2008

As much as I liked Margolis's "Fix," I like "P.O.A." even better. There's a ton of drama on the very first page and things only get more complicated from there. Margolis maintains a sharp sense of humor all the way through. The book starts with a great premise, mixing together screenplay and text, and doubling the suspense in the process. The lead character, Jasmine Green, is totally sympathetic, and it's easy to understand her excitement, and her frustration, over the misunderstandings her script generates. I especially like the last quarter of the book, when the plot twists and re-twists. Through all the intrigue, you also get a great snapshot of Hollywood glamour as it looks up close, as well as some real pathos in the life of a high-profile family.

At Jasmine Green's ex-boyfriend Austin Cooper's funeral, Austin's father makes an announcement to the mourners. A screenplay called Cold-Blooded, Two-Timing Rat was found in Austin's dorm room. In honor of his dead son, the screenplay was given to an agent, who in turn sent it on to film studios. The good news? The screenplay was bought by EggBrite Studios! Who knew that Austin Cooper, the athletic son who wanted to be a doctor, would turn out to be a writer too?

Jasmine knew. She knew because the screenplay wasn't written by her dead ex-boyfriend at all. It was written by her! And the title, Cold-Blooded, Two-Timing Rat, was in reference to the fact that she was cheating on Austin. With his brother. But that's not even the worst part! The screenplay also reveals dirty family secrets about her stepmother and brother's secret love affair, her father's neglect of his children, and dirt about pretty much everyone else in Jasmine's life. She cannot let the movie be made. But what can she do to stop it? All of Hollywood is raving about the screenplay, and the production of the movie has become the hottest thing in town.

Not to mention the fact that the screenplay isn't very well disguised. Jasmine explains, "If only I'd disguised my life better. I mean, I could have done more than change everyone's name. And even that is so obvious when you think about it for half a second. The lead character, Jessica Brown, has green eyes, and I, Jasmine Green, have brown eyes. That's the only difference between us. Same with my brother, Jett/Jake. Charlie and Austin? Sure, I call them Chad and Alex, but they're so clearly the same people. Anyone who reads this and knows them will definitely recognize their personalities."

PRICE OF ADMISSION is a fast-paced and fun read that is likened to reading an entertainment magazine. There are lots of digs about Hollywood personalities, gossip, scandals and paparazzi that are laugh-out-loud funny. Portions of the scandalous screenplay are actually incorporated into the book and makes for an interesting novel technique that works well with this storyline. The only snafu with this is that sometimes the fictional/real character names get a little confusing to the reader, especially since they are so similar. And, like Hollywood, some of the characters do seem to lack depth. For example, Jasmine is so wrapped up in the screenplay debacle that she doesn't really grieve for the loss of her ex-boyfriend. Still, the story is suspenseful and made me want to keep turning the pages.

--- Reviewed by Kristi Olson

This is the kind of book that you take with you everywhere until you finish it. Price of Admission has two levels of suspense: not only are you dying to find out what happens in Jasmine's complicated, fast-paced life but you are also curious about the fate of the screenplay that she created about her life. This book provides a glimpse of the price of fame for a successful Hollywood family. My pre-teen daughter enjoyed it as much as I did. It's beautifully written and I highly recommend it.

As a studio head's daughter, Jasmine Green's seemingly perfect life is just a facade for some very serious problems. Despite her cushy home, endless resources, and fancy cars, Jasmine's father is completely absorbed with his job, her brother is having an affair with their stepmother, and Jasmine herself is dating two guys at once. When one these guys dies, his screenplay is found in his apartment, and is sold to Jasmine's father's company. The only problem? It's really Jasmine's screenplay, and it's the story of her life. Every lurid detail.

Price of Admission is a gripping, galvanizing, and outstanding novel that explores the depths of family loyalty as Jasmine does all it takes to keep her family's dirty little secrets from being revealed. This novel doesn't fail to meet expectations, and Jasmine's clear and expressive voice is authentic. Rather than make excuses for her actions, she learns to face them, making her a character that no one can resist. The colorful cast of expressive and fallible characters make this lively and full of attitude read that will steal your attention away and won't release you until the credits roll.

http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/

I bought the book for my grandchildren, and the 4 and 6 year olds loved it--and I enjoyed it, kept turning the pages along with them. As a librarian and teacher, I also appreciated the quality of this imaginative, colorful book.; it arrived quickly and had secure packaging. It is a well-made, reasonably priced hardcover and am looking forward to seeing more of this author's books.

What a delightful story. The words flow from beginning to end. I was very impressed with the unusual visual ending. When you finish the story, not before, remove the book sleeve and the art on the cover produces a sense of de ja vous. A perfect story for young readers and for even younger listeners.
Sylvia Mirisola

Let me list the things I love about it: the story; the illustrations; the way it reads aloud for pre-readers; its suitability for reading kids; and the rich possibilities for talking with more advanced kids about some Big Ideas sure to come out of this tale of delicious dilemmas.

What a cute story. I loved it. The text was well done, and the illustrations were fitting for the book. When I tried to flip through the pages without reading I could not follow a clear story line; the text definitely is necessary. But the combination of text with pictures works very well. The illustrations reminded me of many graphic files I have created using Adobe Illustrator. There are 16 scenes (mostly 2-pages long) in this book.

The story is about a pumpkin farmer with 5 sons who work the farm. At the end of their pumpkin season they save what they consider to be the best pumpkin seeds so they will have something to plant for the next year. The less-than-best seeds must be discarded. And when you read the book you will see where those discarded seeds went and the problems they created.

I would have liked the book better if the illustrations had been a little more involved. And, of course, I wish I had been able to flip the pages at the outset and understand the story without having to read the text. But the finished product is one that I am sure children will like to have read to them time and time again. 5 stars!

Subtitled: Or, Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins

Pumpkin Town! is a lively tale of brothers who grow pumpkins for a living. They unknowingly scatter seeds on a neighboring town causing an avalanche of pumpkins to grow. Though their actions were unintentional, the brothers take responsibility for the mountain of pumpkins that has overrun the town.

They harvest all the pumpkins and clean up the vines to bring in a tidy profit for the town. The townspeople are so overjoyed that they reward the brothers with large, sweet watermelons. The open ending encourages young readers to speculate on what will happen during the next growing season.

Pumpkin Town! is a delightful story of values that honors the reader's ability to draw conclusions for themselves. While many children's books offer a "knock you over the head" moral, this story subtly guides the reader to discover the values of taking responsibility and having a strong work ethic. The lyrical language and bright pages keep even the most distractible children entertained. The illustrations, a colorful and creative mix of paste paper, photographs, fabrics, and computer imaging provide a rich visual texture to the story.

Pumpkin Town! is recommended for ages 4-8. For the younger set, it is a funny tale to be enjoyed. For slightly older children, it can serve as a springboard to develop the logical skill of cause and effect as well as a fun creative writing "what happens next" project.

Armchair Interviews says: Children can draw their own conclusions.