Lifestyle Books

My three year old son was completely engrossed in this book. He just loves goats. However, partway through the book, my wife came in to whisper something in his ear. He waited 7 seconds, turned to me and said: "Daddy, I need to go do what three year olds need to do. I'll be back as soon as I can, but you keep on reading." He left, and I finished the story. I then wept for seven minutes. It was quite a moving story.

I like this book. It taught me neat stuff that I think is neat, I meant, it is neat. I think I like goats, and I think I want one. Goats are neat, I mean, I think they like the story. I mean, the story is pretty good.

I didn't understand the story right first, but Karl said to me something about world trading, and I knew he meant the word is training. So I really knew he meant the word I didn't read right was trading, so the story is about trading goats. I like the story.

I was enthralled with the plot, so much so that I couldn't put the book down, even 7 minutes after I had been given the most horrific news of my life.

I love pet goats. They fascinate me. Reading about pet goats capture my imagination so much that it takes me at least seven minutes to get my bearings again.

My Man Blue is a story about an african american boy named Damon who moves to his mom's old neighborhood. When they arrive this guy Blue stops them on the street. So Damon gets suspicous that his hello is on "mom's account." But he and Blue eventually become friends. As their friendship grows, Damon finds out that Blue lost his son Zeke to the streets. Blue teaches Damon how to control his temper, and about tolorence and about patience. There are several poems about Damon's expirences and problems.I enjoyed the book. I believe that the author is trying to tell you about the violence and how to deal with it.

This is an excellent collection of poems that are connected and tell a timely story of a boy and his mentor. The black males are portrayed realistically and it is definitely a story that will find a connection with young black males. My son read it when he was 7 and still talks about it and reads it at 9.

The post-impressionist splashes of color (gashes of blue across Blue's bronze skin) remind the reader that this story is more than just a story, that the illustrations are more than that. "My Man Blue" is the story of a quiet hero, a constant gardener, so to speak, and a boy trying to find his way.

In case the reader loses track of setting, there it is on the title page--the top of a factory of some sort, an urban skyline. In this setting, Nikki Grimes tells the story of Damon, a fatherless boy, and Blue, a sonless man. The boy lost his father to the indifference of urban life and that lack of responsibility sometimes spawned there. Blue lost his son to the streets and gang life.

Blue deliberately cultivates Damon's friendship to fill that hole left by his father, a hole that needs filling one way or another. Damon taps into Blue's emptiness as well. It is a mutual friendship.

So it goes. Ms Grimes tells her story of Damon and Blue, one free-verse poem at a time, revealing a snippet of character here, a facet of courage there, a swath of lesson about strong men. Not only do the poems reveal Blue's character, but the illustrations do, too. The prevailing mood is somber (like the gritty, urban landscape) brushed through with intense, bright colors (of hope, maybe?).

Now if only every little boy had a Blue....

This book is wonderful. In a time when many boys do not have strong male role models, this book gives a wonderful example of a man mentoring a boy who needs him. The book is full of poetry, and beautiful illustrations. It teaches wonderful values, and is a must for any family. Excellent!

A wonderful guide. Not preachy. Gives you a sense of how effective and/or risky the recommended remedies are. Lots of footnotes to scholarly articles, if you want to read more about a particular condition or remedy. Covers vitamins, herbs & homeopathy. If you don't know your lysine from your licorice, or you have a medical condition that isn't responding to anything, this is a great place to look.

This is a great starter book for people who are interested in natural remedies for common ailments. It is very easy to use, easy to read, and unintimidating. For every ailment or illness, it gives the usual natural remedies I have found in other books. And it has a pretty good list of vitamins, herbs and homeopathic remedies. However, it isn't the most comprehensive book I've seen. There are some herbs that I couldn't find. But overall, if you want a basic guide, this is a good one to start with.

Walk into a bookstore and you can be overwhelmed with the HEALTH information thrown at you . . . particularly if you are interested in understanding how you can play a more active role in your own prevention, treatment and cure of disease. The Natural Pharmacy gives you just the right balance of useful information without insulting your intelligence or burying you in biochemistry. The book is organized around health concerns - in English, not medical-ese, the authors provide you with dietary & lifestyle changes that maybe helpful before they tell you about other approaches - including nutritional supplements and herbs. They cover side effects and interactions as well. They also provide a tremendous resource for insomniacs by listing more than 3,500 references! You can also look up specific nutritional supplements, herbs and homeopathic remedies as well. A nicely done work!

Wonderful book that explains all those pills you hear about on the news and in magazines. No hype - just great information. This book ROCKS for people who want info on what the heck all those vitamin/pill things are at the grocery store.

We couldn't find anything really adventurous that we wanted to do on our honeymoon -- we'd read about scuba diving, snorkeling, paradsailing in travel articles, but we didn't find THE destination for us until we read through this book and found four or five great islands that were perfect. Even better, this book has a giant contact sheet, so it took us no time at all to get to the islands' Web sites and request info. So we're off to the Seychelles next summer for our honeymoon! We can always go to Belize or to Thailand on another vacation. This is a great book for anyone who wants to do something really original on their honeymoon...and then keep these suggestions around for future travel plans. This is one wedding book I'm not handing off to my other engaged friends! I'm keeping this one!

The New Honeymoon Planner by Sharon Naylor is perhaps the most thorough and helpful general travel guidebooks I have ever discovered. It is perfect for the groom or couple planning a honeymoon, whether a luxury trip or on a tight budget. However, it is NOT just for honeymooners! It has excellent trip planning tips for EVERY kind of trip, and you will save many, many times over the price of the book ($16.95 US) in the first trip Sharon's tips help you plan. She has covered every kind of travel, both domestic and foreign and every kind of trip from luxury cruises to back-packing in the jungles. And she directs you to a wealth of internet sites that will answer any problem you could ever encounter on a trip or supply any need for the travels. THIS BOOK SHOULD BELONG TO EVERYONE WHO PLANS ANY KIND OF TRIP TO ANYWHERE!

My fiance and I aren't really into the island honeymoon scene, and we heard that this book has a ton of suggestions about cruises, spas, travel abroad, adventure trips. And this book is great!...especially the big cities section that talks about great places in the United States to visit. The list of Websites to check out is enormous, and we loved the packing section. This is a great handbook -- very useful, filled with ideas and a big time-saver. Get this one and use it again for your 1st anniversary vacation.

We got this book as an engagement gift, and we love it. It's PACKED with ideas and resources on so many honeymoon spots that we're now considering something more adventurous than we wanted before. Plus, we read about some islands we've never even heard of...they'll be great for our future vacations! That's the thing about this book. It's just filled with great vacation ideas and Web sites, plus insider tips on how to make travel easier and safer...so we're hanging on to this one for all our future trips. And it was so much fun to read about the private islands and special packages you can get, the food and wine tours you can go on, how to get extra perks at your hotel for being honeymooners. This is our Honeymoon Bible.

I stumbled across this book recently and I'm glad that I bought it.
If you're planning to retire soon than hurry up and buy it.
If you are dreaming of retiring soon then make this book part of your preparation.
This book is very resourceful and helpful.

This book has the most interesting information that you "thought" you always knew, but somehow got lost in your memory bank. It brings back simple, accurate information to which you will say, "Now I remember. Yes!" It's the common-sense reminders we all need as retirement approaches and we do not want to remain/become idle. Read it, and you won't be a retiree that you hear about at comedy shows! I really enjoyed it.

This book is great. It's extremely user friendly and there is information about every aspect of retirement life. I especially enjoy reading the very comprehensive website directory. This book will help guide me through the enormous maze of retirement options. And the format will make it easy to use this as a constant resource. I highly recommend this book to anyone getting ready to retire, already retired or folks who are dreaming about retiring in a few years.

I have just finished reading this marvelous book. Although retired for over a year, the book made me realize that I am definitely not getting the most out of retiremet. This book is chocked full of useful information such as travel, eldercare issues, education and perks of all kinds. With that in mind, I shall keep it next to my computer so I can have at my fingertips the very complete listing of handy websites of all kinds. Every current retiree and those contemplating retirement should read this book!

Ken Cole's book illustrates with simplicity how our children can look within themselves to find and to make good news. The story depicts a young boy walking alone to the local barbershop to get his haircut. On his way he notices all things negative. After his interaction with the barbershop clientele, he leaves and notices all of the positive things around him. The story hits home for many of our inner city youth. However we can, we have to remind them that there is good news out there. We have to make sure that they know how to see it and how to find it. Cole's book is an excellent tool to use to introduce our youth to finding the "Good News" everywhere.

Given as a gift to me, I loved the photos and story, but at age 5 this has become my son's favorite book & his bedtime must read.

The first time I read this book, I was struck by the simple story line. A haircut for this little boy represents a major step towards growing up. The book effectively delivers that message that there is hope in every situation. I shared this book with my seven year old son, who also enjoyed the book. The pictures are almost surreal by transitioning from black and white photos in the beginning to a colorized version when the little boy's attitude changes. I would strongly recommend adding this book to any child's collection.

This powerfully simple illustration teaches children to look at the positive and more importantly, look within themselves for "good news".
Our non-profit organization will be ordering 300 for our kids so that they can see that they are "good news" too!

Just starting his life with a farm family, Titus wants to be a good dog but he's not sure what that means. Titus learns he can't drive the tractor like the farmer or chase mice like the cat or lay eggs like the hens. By the end of the day, Titus curls up in his dog house in a discouraged state. Late that night, Titus hears a sound by the chicken coop and learns exactly what a good farm dog is supposed to do. The repetitive structure and the animal sounds incorporated in the story make this a good read-aloud option. The text is well supported by bright cloth-and-paper collage illustration. A great choice for the 2-4 year old set.

This is my son's current favorite at 16 months old. Simple, repetitive story, with great illustrations. He likes the animal sounds and his favorite part is "Oh no!" shouted the farmer, "a fox!" read with overly exaggerated shock. I highly recommend this book...I read it at least twice a night!

My almost 2 year old just LOVES this book. It is the first book he picked out by himself at the library, & he, of course, wants to read it over & over & over & over & over (well, you get the idea). The pictures are just perfect for the story & the story is just perfect if you're almost 2. It has lots of familar animals in it, & it is repetitive enough that he knows when to say "No, no, Titus!" (Which really makes your day if you're almost 2.) I wish you could see the pictures because they are really wonderful. I would recommend the book to anyone with small kids who like animals.

By 2 1/2 yr old son loves farms and tractors, and this farm dog book was no exception! Very humorous, cute illustrations, and a text your child can chime in with! "No, No Titus! Dogs don't lay eggs" and "No, No Titus! Dogs don't give milk!" Titus finally learns his place on the farm, as a wonderful watch dog. YAY!

I found this book in my sister-in-law's kitchen and started flipping thru it. At first, I was prepared to just copy down a couple of recipes for myself, but after looking thru most of them, I felt compelled and excited to read the introduction. There was such a wealth of knowledge dispensed on those first pages, and scattered throughout the book that I knew, I had to own it. And since my sis wasn't about to give her copy up (as she loves it too) I bought my own.

My boyfriend and I have made several of the recipes and they've all been delicious. Not only are they quick and easy to make, but they're nutritionally conscious as well - as detailed at the bottom of each recipe. And there is a great variety of dishes to choose from. Shopping is made easy as the ingredients are divided into "staples" (of which one would most likely have on-hand) and "main ingredients" (which you might need to buy). But the ingredients are not hard to find and often times, we already have them, so we could whip up any number of recipes.

With our crazy schedules, it has been a new-found, fun activity for us to pick a new recipe out of the book and make it together. And it has definitely saved us a lot of money from going out to restaurants just for convenience, and a lot of fat from those enticingly fast fast-food places. We can have a delicious, healthy meal prepared and ready to eat in practically the same amount of time it would've taken us to get in the car, drive over there, order, wait, pay, wait, get it and drive back home.

The authors put a lot of thought into creating this book, even down to the spiral binding, which allows it to lie flat and stay open! I look forward to experiencing many more of the other dishes offered in this book.

These recipes are so easy and fun...require minimal planning, and they are fast and healthy. My husband and I love everything we have made from this book. We have a 4 month old baby, so fast and easy...and healthy meals are a must! I highly recommend this book...it has made my life easier. I hope the author writes another one!

Easy recipes that don't require exotic or hard-to-find ingredients. Great variety of recipes too, from soups and sandwiches, to dinners, to desserts. An invaluable resource!

This cookbook is a great addition to every cook's library. It is a delightful combination of the basics and newer style cooking. All recipes have used nutritional facts, lower-fat and sodium staples. I have tried the recipes and they are quick! So, if you are interested in spending your time at home instead of in a checkout or fast food line, give this book a try!

"Nutrition for a Wellness Lifestyle" is the best nutrition book I have ever read. Not only is it written in an easy to read, light-hearted style, but there is no "fluff" information. This book is to the point and very informative. Knowing what to get out of your multi-vitamin has never been easier. I have not read another nutrition book that spells out exactly what you need like Dr. Di Novi has done in this book. This is a must have book for anyone that is wanting to get started on the path to a wellness lifestyle!

Very informative. Dr. DiNovi gives all his knowledge to us and makes it very easy to understand. This is what America needs to achieve wellness in their life.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their quality of life.

"Nutrition for a Wellness Lifestyle" offers a wealth of useful information both patients and physicians alike can benefit from. Dr. Di Novi's down to earth writing style makes for an easy read. Learning how to pick optimal supplements has never been easier, this book is a must read!

Dr. Di Novi has hit the nail on the head. This book is direct, information packed and well referenced. I highly recommend this book.

I work with secondary students who have reading problems. My students have enjoyed both of C. Anne Scott's books, Old Jake's Skirts and Lizard Meets Ivana the Terrible. The books are easy for them to read and keep them entertained. Both books have messages that kids outside the "norm" can relate to. I really enjoyed reading both these books as well, and the illustrations are well done - especially in Old Jakes' Skirts. Both books are positive in nature, but never preachy. I highly recommend both.

Old Jake is a curmudgeon. He lives alone on his farm and likes it that way. Jake just doesn't take to people. His dog Shoestring is enough company for him.

On his monthly trip to town for supplies, Jake and Shoestring find a battered old trunk resting in the middle of the road, and Jake leaves the unknown owner a lost and found note at the store. Months later, when no one has claimed the trunk, Old Jake finds many uses for its contents of calico skirts.

Jake uses the skirts to mop up rainwater that leaked through the roof of his home during a rain storm, dresses up his scarecrow, patches clothes and makes neckerchiefs for himself and Shoestring. His farm is now bright and prettied up. At least he and the church ladies think so.

One day a young girl and her father arrive at the farm looking for the trunk as it had contained the skirts of the man's wife who recently died. Old Jake expresses his sorrow and explains what has happened to the skirts. He gives the young girl the last one, now hanging outside on the clothesline. Jake also gives the young girl a beautifully hand-carved doll dressed in a calico skirt.

I love this story! It is about an unexpected gift that keeps on giving. The skirts transform Old Jake's attitude and behavior, and in turn, his transformation is felt by other people.

I would suggest that this is a book best read to children over age 7 as it is quite lengthy and pretty heavy on text.

The illustrations are stunning and could be framed!

First of all, the illustrations in this book are priceless! When I first read it to my children, I could barely turn a page without their comments and chuckles about an expression on a character or some other subtle detail they noticed. Secondly, as a home-educating mother, this book is a gold mine of themes: honesty, resourcefulness, spirituality, social skills, death, generosity, and most of all, positive attitude. My children, ages 3 and 5 are a bit young for all it has to offer but they still enjoy it immensely and request it frequently. I would recommend this to any child ages 7 and up. It is a beautiful volume that really makes your children think...and ask questions!

This is a wonderful book about how a life can be changed by an unexpected gift, and how the love of someone can spread to others who are unknown to them. I read this to my little girl, and almost couldn't finish it--I was crying so. It is a very meaningful book, and shows how God's providence can change our lives and the lives of those around us.

I almost forgot about the illustrations! They are vivid, and express the joy of a life that has been changed by love.

I'm sorry, this review is really sappy, but I loved this book!