Lifestyle Books

(Speaking of "smash," poor Duck, one of the most beloved Cronin characters ever, experiences one in this book; read it and see!) This is another hilariously fun read for pre-schoolers and parents/teachers alike, with a very satisfying, laugh-out-loud, typically-Doreen-Cronin twist at the end. Special Note: Keep your eyes on those meteorologist mice! They are the most accurate forecasters I've ever seen!
Long live sly, irreverent Duck, my hero! He builds the best ticket booth I have EVER seen! Don't miss this book.

My 4 yr old loves these books! This was a really cute one and is well-illustrated as always. We enjoyed the ending and duck is always fun to watch as he causes trouble on the farm.

Duck, along with Farmer Brown and a few of the cast of farm animals return once again in this HILARIOUS and "whacky adventure". Author Doreen Cronin and Illustrator Betsy Lewin have definitely outdone themselves.

Duck is always up to something. As usual, you've got to laugh at what he's done and how he goes about doing it.

Grab yourself a copy and read this with your child. My first grader just loves this book!

Hartnett has done a wonderful job again in giving us this haunting story of another dysfunctional family. You can almost hear Tin as he moves about underground, expanding that world as he leaves this one.

'Thursday's Child' is a good example of a book that is not necessarily historical fact, but brings a beautiful portrayal of a family unit through hard times. Although it can get depressing at times, the darkness is expected (the family is not living in the most happiest conditions) and the story is full of realistic plot that lets the reader really get to know the characters. The only character that remains shrouded in mystery (although the main character, Harper, gives us some insight to his true intents throughout the book of his digging) is Tin, who still remains one of the most meaningful aspects of the book.

An easy, enjoyable read.

James Augustin Barnabas Flute, otherwise known as "Tin," was born on a Thursday. Which, according to his older sister Harper who narrates this dark coming-of-age novel, fated him to his wanderings. An older Harper looks back on her not quite seven-year-old self and remembers the day when her youngest brother Caffy was born - the day when Tin stopped being the impoverished family's baby, which is also the day when Tin learned how to dig.

The family's story from then on diverges from Tin's, as the small boy slowly transforms into a wild creature whose home is a self-created network of tunnels beneath their shanty. Most of the time Tin is invisible to the others, a person lost - less and less human, as time passes - yet still loved. Still one of their own.

This literary novel's premise borders on speculative fiction, with wonderfully creepy effect. Tin's life intersects with those of his family at crisis points throughout the story, as their already difficult existence becomes ever more so. What will this wild and often frightening child bring his loved ones in the end? Will he be their doom - their salvation - or both?

Despite its darkness, which at times feels extreme, "Thursday's Child" is a book beautifully written and a story expertly told. I recommend it highly, although not to young readers prone to nightmares!

- Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of "Love, Jimmy: A Maine Veteran's Longest Battle"

I was in dire need of help.This book solved all my money problems,and gave me a new outlook on life.

As a financial counselor for the military and DOD civilians, I have encountered a gereral lack of education and awareness in finanical planning. I have long searched for a text that is geared to mainstream families. The author emphasizes the need for most of us to examine the basic building blocks of wealth and position. I emphatically support this money philosophy because it works!!! How do I know? Because I have benefitted from this knowledge by establishing a debt-free, investment rich lifestyle that has allowed me to independently fund my college education, travel and retirement. If you feel that your're in over your head and can't get out, YOU ARE WRONG!

Ken Knouse has written a clear and extremely useful guide for the hordes of people sinking under the burden of consumer debt, as well as anybody who wants to have the freedom of living below their means. The fact that he, himself, was once one of the consumer debt horde gives him the kind of real-life credibility that cannot be had any other way. He and his wife are accessible role models because most readers can relate to their lives. I find the fact that they are ordinary people who have done extraordinary financial feats very inspiring. Knouse's main premise is that financial problems, in the large percentage of American homes, are a result of poor money management. What a hopeful statement! If you believe that things will only be better if you get a higher-paying job, win the lottery, etc., then achieving that goal seems quite difficult. If you believe, however, that you have sufficient funds, but insufficient skills at managing them, then change is well within your reach by simply setting yourself to learn those skills. True Prosperity lays out the information you need to get on that path. It's one of those books whose worth is much more than the cover price. Lisa Reid, editor of PurseStrings newslette

This book is the best book in the world to me!It is about a young lady like me and if you start to read you will never be able to put it down!I got it late at night and I finished it in the morning because it was sooooo goood!I read it 6 times already.I reccomend this book to teens like me!

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is a book that all teenage girls, including myself, could relate too. Though my mother is not dead, and my father is not running for office, I am too 16, have a group of close friends like Kerri, Jessica, and Erin, and also am starting to date. What made the book so great was Luke. Luke seemed like such a great guy for Maya and a great guy in general. I want a Luke. This book is great, I just wish there was a continuation to this book. I would love to read about how Maya and Luke's relationship works out and if her father wins. You have to read this book, I know you will love it.

Alright i will have to say this book was just as good as the first and second one. This talks about Maya's point of view. It writes where Maya learns and trys how to face T.J., who indeed and tryed to hurt her and her family problams. After her mother had died, her father had gone way too overprotective on her. But lately he had gone frum bad too worse. So to find out on how MAya deels and trys to fix her awful problams. Read and find out.

This interesting and informative book traces the development of today's oldest continuing family farm in the United States. The story begins with John Tuttle, who left England for the "New England" in 1632 and settled in Dover, New Hampshire. At the time, Dover consisted of about twenty cabins, the largest settlement in New Hampshire. John built his own cabin on the same land where the Tuttle farm stands today.

The next eleven generations of children and their children remained on this farm, cultivating the land, raising livestock, and selling farm products. Over the years, the small cabin was rebuilt into a larger farmhouse with a barn. Later, the family transformed the barn into a farm store that sold fresh fruits and vegetables, hand-spun wool, hand-dipped candles, home-made butter, and fresh maple syrup. Today this farm store is a 9,000 square foot building with an adjacent nursery that serves more than 1000 customers every day.

Tuttle's Red Barn
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Tuttle's Red Barn takes the child reader quickly through history briefly touching on each generation of the John Tuttle family.It gives a glimpse of one family and the value they have placed on being family.

The colors are bright and appealing. A good read.

Reviewed by Matthew Feliciano (age 7 ½) for Reader Views (1/08)

There are many interesting facts about the Tuttles in this book. The Tuttles were America's first farmers. John Tuttle was the father and his wife was Dorothy. They had four children who each went on to have children. All of the Tuttle families were farmers.

To keep their farm running, John Tuttle used rocks and cements to fill in the cracks in the winter. They learned to fertilize with shells and how to trade in town for supplies to send to their family in England. Some of the Tuttles went off to fight in a war. The Tuttles that remained built bigger homes for the families and continued to be farmers.

The Tuttles became part of the Underground Railroad and helped slaves escape to freedom. Each generation of Tuttles grew with the times of their society and did what needed to be done. Overall, I loved this book, "Tuttle's Red Barn," because I learned a lot about America and the Tuttles.

This is a really good book. It is one of the best in the series. But does anyone know when or if the sixth book comes out since it sort of leaves you hanging. I can't wait for the next book to come out! So i can find what happens to everybody.

i loved prognosis heartbreak. this book gave me a inside look at what being a doctor might be like. it is nararrated by it's two main characters tristan and zoey. it is funny and dosen't seem like a plot on a soap opera. it's like having tristan and zoey just talk to you. plus if you want to be a doctor or nurse, all the info is real, so maybe now you know a little more about medicine. you want to order them all at once!

This book along with the other four University Hospital Books are so good. I am 16 but I think anyone probably 14-18 would enjoy reading this. Its pretty much just the drama of five teens who just graduated from highschool and their friendships, relationships, etc. while in a SCRUBS program at Fable Harbor Hospital. They all want to be doctors and the chapters are narrated by Zoey and Tristan, the two main characters. Read "University Hospital" first. THis is the fifth book in the series.

My son is addicted to this book. He received it from his daycare mom at Christmastime when he was 4 months old. Needless to say as soon as he could crawl he would go over to this book--only this book (he has a HUGE library) and flip through the pages. He is happy to have Daddy or Mommy read it to him or just to look at the book himself. Now 9 months later I have to buy him a new copy due to wear and tear!

My children(ages 3&4) love this book! We read it before we planted our garden this year and they got much more involved and can't wait to try their vegetables! Vivid colors and simple words make this book enjoyable and easy to understand.

This book is great in so many ways. My 15 mo. old loves it because it has a fun rhythm to it and because he hunts for little things on each page (the kitty, the dog, the butterflies, the vegetables). I like it because it shows kids how plants grow "Corn grows up. Carrots grow down. Cucumbers climb around and around. Peppers grow up. Potatoes grow down. Pumpkins vine around and around...." I also like that the children are gardening with their dad, and that this is (apparently) an organic garden...happy bugs, butterflies, worms, and birds are shown ALL over the plants (in a cute way, and a real way...not a gross way). At the end the family harvests their veggies and creates a veggie stew. Fabulous, positive book...makes natural gardening look fun, and kids learn about plants, too!

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

This is an adorable story about Ralph, the cow, that put his mind to something difficult and made it happen! It's great for kids to see that they can do anything if they try. My children just love this book. They read it over and over again. The pictures are wonderful too. Can't wait to see what Ralph will do next!

A really cute animal-fantasy with great pictures. This is my three-year-old's current favorite that we MUST read every night.

Widdermaker is a side splitting, knee slapping ride through the great geographic wonders of the west as Cowpoke Pete pursues the notorious Widdermaker, the meanest orneriest bull you can imagine. The cartoon-like illustrations add a whole nother level of humor to this rompin ride. It's plum full of fun!

What happens when the greatest cowboy in the west meets the meanest bull in the west? (Oops, must not forget the greatest horse in the west too). Well, we get a very fun to read story as told by Pattie schnetzier. This is a tale of the old west in the traditon of Pecos Bill. The illustrations are great, quite eye catching and go well with the text. It helps a lot if you can manage a Texas accent when reading this work, but if you can't, the author has done a nice job with her syntax and it almost comes out naturally as you read. As I said, the book is fun, the kids love it and you and the kids will get a good laugh. What more could you want?

Looking for a picture book you won't mind reading over and over? Here's a lively western tall tale that will have your little buckaroos riding off to dreamland in chaps and ten gallon hats night after night. Pattie Schnetzler's rollicking language and Rick Sealock's energetic illustrations will make this lively story a favorite in libraries and classrooms as well. Teachers will find inspiration for a writing lesson that fits right in with the Western Expansion unit of U.S. history. It's funny. It's lively. It has a hero everyone will love. Widdermaker is a winner!

"Winter, Awake!" beautifully depicts in words and illustrations the place of winter in the order of the seasons. When Winter remains asleep, members of both the plant and animal world try to wake him so that they can use the winter days to prepare for spring. They have no success until a ladybug whispers into sleeping Winter's ear. Kroll's experience as a storyteller is apparent. Her beautifully chosen language creates word pictures and rhythms that are a pleasure for both the reader and the listener. This story begs to be read aloud and will appeal to a wide range of listeners. Lieberherr's vivid and engaging images complement the text and offer children an opportunity to let loose their imaginations. A perfect gift to entertain children at any time of the year.

This book is VERY Waldorf, so if the idea of King Winter offends you you might want to skip it. I love this book, personally, and my children do as well. Winter, Awake! has marvelous paintings. The book is perfect for the day after Thanksgiving as it begins with a description of the Harvest. Then, the plants and animals of the earth grow more and more weary of Autumn, and long for the rest and respite of Winter. Beginning with the trees, they whisper in King Winter's ear pleading for him to wake up. With the evocative text you experience not only marvelous rhythm and alliteration but you see a picture painted as well of how each spends the winter. The ladybug longs to gather together with her relatives and peacefully sleep Wintertime away. The Autumn leaves are tired of skipping and swirling and long to lie still and cover and protect seeds and roots. The story develops like this as each in turn makes its plea to King Winter:

the tired trees
the brittle leaves
garter snakes with slitted eyes
fuming bees
little leaping peeping frogs
a pert and perky chickadee
a cheeky chubby chattering squirrel
a gruff and grumpy grumbling bear

and finally, at last, a round red ladybug.

This book is a wonderful way for your child to explore how others see Winter, and it is perfect to read right before the first snowfall. You might want to have your King Winter doll [...] at the ready so that when your child wakes up to snow on the ground he can see that King Winter has appeared on the Nature table.

"Winter, Awake" is a wonderful tale told in verse with fabulous alliteration! Hearing it read aloud is magic to your ears. Embedded in this whimsical story are accurate portrayals of how animals prepare for winter. If winter were to refuse to awake one year, imagine the possible consequences.

The book is also a masterpiece visually. The full-page illustrations deserve to be framed! They are rich in color, beautiful to look at and will delight both adult and child readers. This is a book that will become a favorite read-aloud selection for all young readers and lovers of books.