Lifestyle Books

My daughter loved this book. She enjoyed how Steve turns trash into treasure. She laughed out loud at his silly creations. I like the fact that the book promotes recycling.

Her fifth birthday is coming up and I am have been asked to read her favorite book to her class at school for her birthday. I asked my daughter what her favorite book is and she picked The Dumpster Diver. Interestingly, we don't own this book, but we checked it out from the library about a year ago. She still remembers this book as her favorite!

Inspired by Kerry Wade, an artist who takes old skis and turns them into chairs, Janet S. Wong crafted this colorful (thanks to illustrator David Roberts) story about Steve the electrician, also known as The Dumpster Diver. Every month, Steven dons his special dumpster diving suit, dives right in to the big trash bin, and counts on three young friends to assist him: one turns on the faucet, another keeps the hose from getting tangled up, and the other aims the nozzle at all of the nasty bugs and spiders that evacuate the dumpster in the wake of Steve's invasion - and then at Steve once he emerges from the dumpster. They turn "junk" into all kinds of neat toys, gizmos, and furniture.

Lest you think otherwise, the book doesn't really encourage young children to follow in Steve's dumpster-diving footsteps. In fact, Steve ends up sustaining an injury from this little hobby of his. The real point of the story, I believe, is to pass along the idea that you can have fun by turning materials you might normally throw away or just have lying around the house somewhere into useful, fun things. In other words, one man's trash can be another man's treasure.

This is a fairly large and colorful little book that young children should really enjoy - probably little boys more than little girls. Parents would do well to talk to their children about the story, though, not only because it could lead to some fun adventures that the parents can share with the child but also because you really don't want to come home from a hard day's work to find little Johnny sitting there surrounded by a bunch of broken toys and other junk he's collected from the neighbors.

MY NEPHEW LOVES THE DUMPY SERIES. JULIE ANDREWS IS A TERRIFFIC AUTHOR.EVERYONE SHUOLD BUY HER BOOKS.

Great books for children. Julie Andrews Edwards and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton have created a book and stories that area beautiful gift to the children of the world. I recommend this series to all.

I absolutely loved this book. I'm a city girl who at the time I read this book had been transplanted to a hobby farm in Kansas. I always recommend this book to any "newcomers" to the country. I was sad to see the book end! Definitely a must read!

Marjorie Myers never guessed she'd be spending the next 17 years of her life on an out of the way farm way the heck out in Western Minnesota; she'd been happy and content living the urban lifetsyle of busy, bustling St. Paul. But then she fell in love and got married, in the middle of World War II, and the next thing you know she was living among her in-laws, a mixed blessing at best. This is her memoir of her years in what amounted to another country for her, a time when she learned a lot about a simpler life and a more arduous one as well. For if America changed a lot between 1943 and the beginning of the "New Frontier," it never changed as much as for people living on stock ranches like Marjorie. She never thought she'd be killing animals, much less ones she had gotten to love as pets and friends, but the hard way of the farm got her used to it. At bottom she remained the same endearing, enchanting woman she had started out with, and you know what?

She came out of her experience a whole lot smarter and with more of a natuve wisdom about the way things work, not only on the farm but in the secret chambers of the human heart. If you like Mary Gaskell's novels of 19th century farm life, you will enjoy this true account, s beautifully written, of one'woman's farm wife experience, and you will grow to love her husband, "Don," and understand why a man like that could make a woman leave her former home and follow him even unto a farm not much removed from the famous COLD COMFORT FARM. Highly recommended for both city and country folk.

Although I fall outside of the recommended age group for this book (well outside!) I ended up reading it anyway. I was surprised at how engrossing the story was to someone of my age. It made me realize that no matter what time period, parallels exist when it comes to the thoughts and dreams of adolescent girls. It took me back to my own days of "Judy Blume" books but gave it a refreshing look from a whole new perspective. Wonderful! I couldn't put it down!

My daughters (ages 10 and 12)and I are in Mother Daughter book clubs that both have read Eleanor Hill and loved it! Eleanor is an engaging character and the book is incredibly hard to put down, a real page-turner. The adolescent issues raised--independence, growing up, parent/child struggles, prejudice--are as relevant today as they were for Eleanor in the early 1900s. Our book clubs say "All thumbs up! Read Eleanor Hill together!"

Emma's Eggs is the cutest story of a chicken doing her best to please her owners. When she sees one of her eggs get scrambled, she tries to scramble the next one herself. Problem is, the farmer and his family are not pleased with her efforts. So it goes with each of her eggs, until she finally decides to sit on her egg and refuse to give it up. You can guess what happens with that final egg. The best line in the book: "Emma fitted on her nest like the lid on a cookie jar." The illustrations are wonderful; the expressions on Emma's face are priceless. This was an instant hit with my daughter, and she giggles every time she reads it. I highly recommend this book!

The story of Emma, the chicken, and her amazement and confusion at what the farmer and his family seem to expect from her and her eggs is a joy to read. It has a repeating catch-phrase of "No, no, no, Emma, that's NOT what you do with eggs!" that kids will enjoy saying along with you, and it turns around at the end to their joyfully exclamation of "Yes, yes, yes, Emma, THAT'S what you do with eggs!" The illustrations are a match for the story - Emma's facial expressions and body language make me want to smile every time. I highly recommend this book - I know my three-year old will want to hear this book for many years to come.

The Empowerment of You I found to be a positive outlook on one's way to hit the "Reset Button" in their lives. I found the recipes to be lean, hearty and tasty. Its a fast and easy way for one to start a healthier life style. Great job

I found The Empowerment of You to be very inspirational, and one of the best and most helpful diet remedy in a long time. What a wonderful start to a new beginning and a new year.

EXCELLENT RESOURCE FOR PARENTS. I referred to this often before calling or running to the doctor for a stomach ache or runny nose. My children are 12 and 16 and I still refer to it often for ways to treat common childhood illnesses. The book gives good information about symptoms and several alternatives for treatment. I highly recommend this for any parent!

I have this book and I am so impressed with it I want to give a copy to a friend. It has been a great source for me when treating my children with constipation, intestinal flus, and earaches. I like to use home remedies when possible. In cases of severe illness this book recommends medical treatment by your doctor.

Finally, an herbal reference book that combines both traditional uses with current scientific research in an easy to read format! This book just keeps on giving information: in the back appendixes are recommended reading lists, periodicals, library resources, internet resources, herb organizations and associations, and herb education programs! Again, I say WOW!

This is a well-rounded book that contains information on historical/traditional uses as well as current research, international acceptance, and safety information. It's five- star rating system gives you an at-a-glance overview of each herb. Each chapter is on a single herb, and the index makes it very easy to look up a health condition or topic of interest quickly. If you think you already have too many herbal books, you haven't seen this one yet!

I read Eloise when I was about 6 or 7, 32 years ago, and I have never forgot the precocious, messy, FUN little girl I met in these books. Her life in the hotel and the pranks and tricks she pulled were so delicious! She is a very warm memory of my childhood and I recently bought her books just so I could have them to read again to my children, grandchildren and hopefully, great-grand children. Okay, okay, I admit it, I wanted them for myself! : ) They are fantastic books greatly enhanced by Hilary Knight's illustrations (who also drew for the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series) and I recommend them to any one looking for an imaginative book to share with their child.

At last! Books the I can read to my kids (ages 9 & 10) that amuse ME as well as them, and not just because the pictures are great! Even the 2 year old enjoys Eloise, and who wouldn't?

I cannot BELIEVE that my mother didn't introduce me to the joys of Eloise when I was a child, but perhaps it's best this way, when I am truly able to appreciate these wonderful books!

This book was very funny and the pictures were great. I liked the one of the cow wearing a tutu!

My daughter and I both loved this book. The humor is wonderful and the illustrations vibrant and hilarious.
I highly recommend it for bedtime (or anytime) reading!