Education Books

This novel is one of the best I have read. Alex Haley and Stevens express a kind of compassion from a grandmother/mother that no one could do better. It's a very emotional book, and touches everyone that has ever experienced a good book. Once you start it, you can't put it down!

This book made you feel apart of it. I loved it! I loved the history, the story, the emotions and how it wove a story of a loving family working their way through life. This is a must read.

Pretend that there is a really good review here. I loved reading this novel. It is one that is vary hard to put down because you can't help wondering what is going to happen next.

At the center of Mama Flora's Family is the indomitable spirit of Mama Flora, the matriarch of an extraordinary family of destitute Tennessee sharecroppers. The characters are so real and believable it made this reader feel that I was right there with them experiencing all their trials and tribulations, as well as the joys. This book is much more than a poignant, hard-to-put-down story of a Mama Flora and her descendants from 1920 to the late 1990s. It, for the most part, effectively weaves into the plot much of what has transpired in American/African-American history during this time period (e.g., life for African-Americans in the South, the rise of the Civil Rights movement, the Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam, the Viet Nam war, political repression under Idi Amin, etc). Mama Flora's Family is a rich, resonant family novel that cuts across the barriers that divide us to touch the hearts of people of all races and backgrounds. I highly recommend this excellent, emotionally-packed posthumous novel written by David Stevens based on Alex Haley's notes and research.

Reading this book is like cozying up with a warm blanket. The authors provide so much detail that you feel like YOUR grandmother is sitting in front of you, recounting the tales. The book spans the decades, from the early 1900s to the late 1970s and throws in a bit of history/current events to place the family's hostory in context. Great book!

I think that "Meri Strikes Back" was a great novel for fun reading. It's witty, fast-paced, and is a definite page turner. It leaves you at the end wishing that the next book "Dark Cindy" was already released, so that you could continue the tale of Cindy Bixby and Alpha Beta Delta...

I didn't think it was possible to top Hazing Meri Sugarman but M. Apostolina has done it. This latest offering of teen debauchery, Meri Strikes Back, has the reader engaged from start to finish. The heroine, Cindy Bixby, goes up against arch enemy Meri once again while at the same time searching for her own authentic self. This book gets into more detail with Cindy's cohorts, my particular favorites are Lindsey and the vulgar yet lovable Bud Finger ( hasn't everyone dated a Bud Finger at least once?!). The action was nonstop and I could not put the book down. As I finished each chapter, I was giddy with excitement wondering what awful predicament Cindy would find herself in; on pins and needles as I waited for Meri's deliciously torrid next move. The only thing this book left me wanting is more, more, more! Can't wait for the next installment, Dark Cindy.....Will the tables be completely turned on Meri once and for all? Will CIndy finally find a solution for that "tragic hair?" Will the journey for CIndy's authentic self take a deep, dark turn??????
I look forward to going on more adventures with Cindy and the gang at Rumson U.
Go, Meri , Go!!

Meri's back and even more devious than before! The rivalry between her and Cindy is totally intense. And I love how Patty Camp psychoanalyzes everyone. Hilarious! Can't wait for the next book!

Just when poor beleaguered Cindy Bixby thinks it's safe to go back to her college sorority, after vanquishing uber-_itch Meri Sugarman in Apostolina's debut Hazing Meri Sugarman, Meri rises in Martha Stewart-like phoenix fashion to return to Rumson U. What devilish plans does Meri have for Cindy this time and how will Cindy fend her off? Readers absolutely do not have to read the books in order, since each stands alone, but it is fun to do it that way. As for this reader, I can't wait for more adventures with Cindy and the sisters - good and evil - of Alpha Beta Delta.

MERI STRIKES BACK is a continuation of the story introduced in Hazing Meri Sugarman. Meri Sugarman, evil sorority president whose downfall was brought about by Cindy Bixby and her friends, is back. Criminal charges against her amounted to nothing but a few hours of community service to be done. This time around, Cindy is being set up so that her sorority sisters will think she's the crazy one, instead of psychopath Meri.

Meri's not alone this time, either. Even though her old vice-president, Gloria, is in prison, Meri has gotten the help of some evil Catholic schoolgirls--miniature Meri Sugarmans. With their help, Meri's plan is working. Everyone sees Meri as the victim, and Cindy as the crazy girl who just won't forgive poor, apologetic Meri Sugarman. Only Cindy knows the truth, and she's got to convince her friends, the Dean of the college, and the rest of Alpha Beta Delta that Meri's just as dangerous as she ever was.

Readers of Hazing Meri Sugarman will love its sequel! It might be even more hilarious than book number one. The great characters are back as well. The only reason this book might not live up to the very high expectations set by the first book is the ending. MERI STRIKES BACK ends in a way that is very obviously setting it up for a continuation. Cindy's last diary entry hardly wraps up any loose ends, and even creates several more questions. Certainly, I'm glad there will be another story, but it would be nice if each book was also a story in itself, not just a continuation of one long story. Hazing Meri Sugarman stands on its own very well, but this novel, unfortunately, does not.

Still, though, it's a great read that is not to be missed! It's not entirely necessary to have read Hazing Meri Sugarman first, though it is recommended (certainly don't read that one after reading this one; there are a lot of spoilers). MERI STRIKES BACK is a fairly quick read that will have readers anxious for the next book about Meri and Cindy, Dark Cindy.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

As other reviewers have recounted, it is difficult to read this book without shedding tears. It's a marvelous story of a Russian village's return to church. The story is sweet without being cloying, the historical context is spot on (yes, Communists destroy churches, kill priests, and imprison believers), and the iconographic illustrations are nearly divine.

But--the author betrays on one page an unfortunate ignorance about Orthodox Christian worship, especially in traditional Orthodox cultures such as Russia. She has the people waiting patiently in the church for something to happen, and they are SITTING, and then the priest appears, walking down the AISLE.

There are no pews in an Orthodox church hewing to the traditional mode of worship, as would no doubt be the case in Russia.

Still, the book is wonderful and worth getting and giving for Christmas.

After reading the customer reviews, I ordered this book, which came, unfortunately, too late for either Western or Orthodox Christmas. But that doesn't mean it is NOT going to have primacy of place NEXT year!

The truth of the Bolshevik/Communist revolution, their COMPLETE dedication to the utter eradication of the Orthodox, Christian, Caucasian culture of Imperial Russia, is given in this book. (It is historical fact that the vast majority of the early Bolsheviks were 'ethnic foreigners' in Mother Russia; see Wilton's 'Last Days of the Romanovs' for a contemporary account.) This truth is clearly, beautifully laid out in the pictures of this book, which astoundingly can do what a GOOD work of children's literature always does- teach TRUTH.

Moreover, the miracle of a town utterly bowed down before the antichrist agenda of seventy years of Communist rule, springing to new life, is THE most joyous moment in the story. The miracle of the Incarnation in Bethlehem, is made manifest in the miracle of the 're-incarnation' of Christ within the hearts and souls of these simple Russian folk in the village, who can once again, 'worship God aright.' This book is SO much more than just a 'nice story'- it is a parable, a beacon for future generations, that the Church must 'never forget' that those who tried to kill Christ (either then, or nowadays in recent memory), can never succeed at their task, for indeed, "He is risen!" And lives within his faithful people always.

Marvellous book and illustration. It explains poignantly the truth of where "Santa Clause" originated. It is no tale. Saint Nicholas was a real ordinary man who became a great priest of God and Saint by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well for the glory of God.

Being a Russian Orthodox Christian and also first-generation born American, it was very touching to me. I loved it. It made me cry. A story of sadness that turns into great joy. Beautiful artwork!!!

Our family has read this book countless times, often at our children's request. The frustrating part is that both parents have yet to make it through the book without shedding tears! A touching book based on real-life experiences of people throughout the former Soviet Union, in a format eminently suitable for young children. Highly recommended.

The wonderful title of Gray Temple's book has a metaphoric and layered meaning for me, much like the earth's sediments, and indeed the magma just below the earth's crust is molten. So is Gray's conception of "soul" as earthy is it is rarefied and transcendent. As a nontraditional believer, atatvistic contrarian, and long-lapsed Episcopalian, I have a little trouble with some of the theory that underpins Gray's arguments, but his writing is so rich without being dense, his good humor so evident, his knowledge so extensive yet lightly carried, that I fall easily and completely under his spell and more than willingly suspend disbelief as he spins his always compelling narrative. He joins ranks with the Thomases Aquinas, Moore, and Merton as one of my favorite writers on religion, a writer who challenges and comfortably abrades my reasoning stones. His faith and simple decency shine through his intellect, and his picture of Jesus's duality is the most complete and coherent I have ever come across. I now only await his correlative monograph on the George W. Bush administration and Dante's Inferno.

Like one of Temple's best sermons, this is a message that one must sit with and ponder. Most of us have either observed or personally experienced what Temple describes-- an individual who undergoes a profound conversion, then becomes an artifically different person with an answer for every question and a judgmental or condescending attitude toward anyone who does not agree with them. This book will provide hope to those who have been turned off to institutional religion due to this attitude. For more traditional believers, there are many comments that could alienate them. However, if they will press on through the material that challenges their beliefs, the reader will find truth that can transform their relationship to God and to people who are different from them. Temple is also consistently fair in pointing out the risk of rigidity in all traditions-- from social activists to fundamentalists. This fairness and insight reveals that this work was not written by an elite ecclesiastic with an ax to grind, but rather by a person with deep faith and a pastor's heart. I highly recommend this book to all who will read it with an open mind-- and even more to those who need to have their certainties challenged.

I found Gray Temple's book The Molten Soul the smartest concise work on the history of Christianity I'd ever seen. It's the best explanation of religious conservatism in print, and it has wonderfully interesting things to say to readers who are not preoccupied with what Gray has set out as his main problem: what to do with their own or someone else's sudden religious conversion. Gray makes his points with brilliance and humor--he's a guy who keeps his Phi Beta Kappa key next to his Slim Jims.

Like one of Temple's best sermons, this is a message that one must sit with and ponder. Most of us have either observed or personally experienced what Temple describes-- an individual who undergoes a profound conversion, then becomes an artifically different person with an answer for every question and a judgmental or condescending attitude toward anyone who does not agree with them. This book will provide hope to those who have been turned off to institutional religion due to this attitude. For more traditional believers, there are many comments that could alienate them. However, if they will press on through the material that challenges their beliefs, the reader will find truth that can transform their relationship to God and to people who are different from them. Temple is also consistently fair in pointing out the risk of rigidity in all traditions-- from social activists to fundamentalists. This fairness and insight reveals that this work was not written by an elite ecclesiastic with an ax to grind, but rather by a person with deep faith and a pastor's heart. I highly recommend this book to all who will read it with an open mind-- and even more to those who need to have their certainties challenged.

The Molten Soul is Gray Temple's vivid metaphor for what happens to us Christians in our conversion moments, those times when we actually come face to face with God. With conversational warmth, Temple confronts the opportunities and problems presented by religious conversion through lenses of the Christian life, faith, doctrine, and community. He tackles questions that we all ask - such as, why are we so powerfully motivated by the fear of death and the dread of God? Once we allow God to get through enough of our defenses that we can visualize that a mutually loving, trusting, and lasting friendship is possible, what then? How do we keep our faith from ossifying into rigidity? As we encounter God's grace over and over again, how can we be spiritually ready to accept and use it to build a visionary Christian community? Where, indeed, can Job go to church?

In his foreword, theologian Walter Brueggemann writes, ". . . Temple urges `moltenness,' the process of being melted down, liquefied, rendered supple and open for new congealing that must not be too firm or full, but that readies the soul, in good gospel fashion, for the next melting that is the good work of God." Temple is a theologian, a preacher, and a priest - he meets his readers on all of these levels as he prods us to stay molten as individuals and as community. The Molten Soul makes righteousness meaningful for today. I'll be reading this book more than once.

I have been photographing a Monarch metamorphosis and looking at many books - this one is by far THE BEST!

Anyone who opens its covers...children, teachers, parents... agrees that award winning MONARCH MAGIC is one of the best resources for Monarch Butterfly enthusiasts. The full color photographs are outstanding. The text was originally reviewed by the honored Dr. Lincoln Brower, the country's most well-known authority on monarch butterflies and habitat preservation. I highly recommend MONARCH MAGIC for classrooms everywhere! My students LOVE it!

My second grade students loved this book! They were thrilled to have an autographed copy. The activities were age appropriate and fun follow up activities to support our study of the Monarch's lifecycle. We took photos of our butterflies and the kids thought that we should submit them so Lynn Rosenblatt could have them for her next book. Thanks for the great resource.

Monarch Magic has served my early childhood classroom well! We have found the pictures to be very captivating for the young learners, the crafts are great and easily adaptable for young children. I highly recommend this book to educators, the students instantly became interested in nature and excited to find and learn more about monarchs.

I am an educator. Speaking professionally, this is a book both the child and parent cannot put down. The pictures are amazing and the projects are extremely well conceived and easily accomplished at home or in the classroom. The history and explanations provided are extremely comprehensive, yet very easy to understand. I highly recommend this book to students, parents, and teachers.

This book is really a $50 book. I'm not sure why these people are asking $150 for it here. Anyway, this book is definitely worth owning. It has beautiful illustrations and is a smooth, easy read. Lots of good ideas.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1HTW4GY7MK4IG I have enjoyed using this book as a resource for parents and myself as an Early Intervention Specialist. It is very user friendly. It is not too intimidating for parents with a child that has been newly diagnosed with ASD.

Our son was recently diagnosed with ASD, and I have been reading constantly since then. A child psychologist told me that she felt this book was so important, she would buy it herself to give to parents who couldn't afford it. This is far and away the best book I've found to teach us how to communicate with our child. It is easy to read and offers actual instructions on how to help your child understand you and respond to you. It takes many principles from Greenspan's books and puts them into practice. I actually bought it from the NC Autism Society's bookstore and it was soooo much cheaper! (By the way, you can order online or over the phone from them.) I would highly recommend this book to any parent of a child with ASD.

I have always been pleased with resources from Hanen and this book is no exception. As both a pediatric speech-language pathologist and a mother of a wonderful toddler with autism I highly recommend this cutting edge, informative book. I love that the book takes our children's sensory preferences and interests into major consideration during interactions.
The book is clear and simple to follow.

The information on the internet regarding autism can be overwhelming and complex, even for the rare parent like myself who has been in the field for several years. The More Than Words program makes language and social skills acquisition enjoyable and manageable for parent and child. The parent does not need to add daily therapy to their already long "to do" list. Therapy is ongoing from morning till night during all of your interactions with your child. We should always have goals in mind, but the therapy is constant as long as the outlined principles in More Than Words are followed. Similar to a sensory diet. This is our children's communication diet. I also like that the pictures in the book are emotionally uplifting. It is not easy having a child with ASD but this book offers the parent a feeling of wellbeing and hope as they help their child climb the developmental ladder of language acquisition and social skills. Horray for Hanen. You've done it again!

This book was written for parents of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Written by a speech-language pathologist, this book provides a step-by-step program that trains parents to help children under the age of six learn to communicate through everyday activities. The chapters are divided into four color-coded levels of communication so parents can easily locate those strategies that are best for their child. The book contains a wealth of practical information, and the colorful illustrations positively depict a variety of communication activities. Please visit our website to obtain a copy of this valuable resource at the actual list price.

As the synopsis says, the main character is obsessed with the movie The Sound of Music. I am also a big fan of the movie. I used to watch it all the time when I was little. Anyway, because of this, I thought the book would follow the movie's story in some fashion. Instead, it's a modern take on Pride and Prejudice (think a G-rated version of Bridget Jones--one of my favorite movies, by the way!).

I loved this book. It is a sweet and simple romantic story. It is also humoress with pop culture and literary references thrown in. I really liked this aspect because I am the dorky girl who loves musicals and things of that nature, so I got all the references to musicals and such. I also enjoyed the literary references being an English major myself (the main character has an English degree).

This is the perfect book for people who enjoy sweet romance novels, especially the ones with a P&P feel to them. I feel that Must've Done Something Good is a book I'll keep as one of my comfort books to read when I'm feeling sad and need a good pick me up. :)

This may be tagged "chick-lit", but as a guy who greatly enjoyed this book I think anyone would enjoy it. There's so many situations that anybody can relate to. Go Sylvie!

I am a mother to 5 kids and one step son so, needless to say, I usually don't have time to read however for this book it was easy to make time because I enjoyed it so much!

Like the other reviewers on this site, I too found myself laughing out loud on so many occassions throughout the book. Everywhere I went with it, people would ask me what I was reading and I couldn't help but go on and on as to how much I loved this book! It was absolutely outstanding! (I actually broke out in a chorus of "My favorite things" the other day in front of my 8 yr old and he had the oddest expression on his face...priceless!)

I hope Cheryl Cory decides to write many more novels! If so, I may just turn out to be her biggest fan!

This is a great book, very funny and entertaining. To think of it solely as 'chick-lit' is a major disservice. Guys, like myself, will enjoy the characters and plot and irreverent humor as much as anyone. Sylvie's trials in the classroom are amusing, especially if one has any background in teaching, and it is nice to note her progress at adapting to this new situation as the school year progresses. This is really a neat book we can all like.

This is a great book. I loved it. My wife read it too and she loved it. It's a must buy!!

My Great Aunt Arizona is a beautifully-written, beautifully-illustrated book based on a real person, the author's great aunt Arizona. We loved the book so much we took a family vacation some years ago to see the area. The artist obviously went there and saw Henson Creek and the real places, just as we did. We saw Great Aunt Arizona's grave site, too, and met the author's mother.

We love this book so much we have donated it to a couple of libraries and given it as gifts many times. Top notch!

My Great-Aunt Arizona is an excellent book for children and for anyone who is encouraged by a positive message on education.

Gloria Houston's work is wonderful!

Read this book to your kids because it's a great story. Read it because it'll help them appreciate what their teachers do for them. And then, maybe give a copy to their teacher as a gift. This wonderful book is a tribute to those who pour their lives into children who can then go forward with dreams and the ability to do anything.

I use this book in both my reading and writing workshops for fifth graders. It's an excellent book that could be useful to 3rd-6th grade students. It's a great example of characterization.

By far, one of my favorite books for children. I love reading it to my babies. The text with the beautiful pictures will go with you in your mind forever...

Alex
Have you ever had a class clown in your class? In the book, My Life As A Fifth-Grade Comedian, Bobby, the main character, is a huge class clown. Additionally, he never does his homework and slacks off in school. His teacher Mr. Maooouus, can also be funny, but he doesn't over do it being too funn, unlike Bobb. So one day MR. Matous asks the class to write a way on how the school could be improved. Bobby writes about a Laugh-Off. A Laugh-Off is a contest in which the winner is the one who gets the most laughs. Mr. Matous says if you make this Laugh-Off real, then we won't have to kick you out of school. Bobby was going to get kicked out because he was doing so bad in school. Will He get kicked out of school, or wll he stay, and make the Laugh-Off happen.
I thought this book was very good. I liked that every chapter has a joke, Why are vampires so bad, becuase they are suckers. I thought some of them were funny. I also liked how the author kept focus on the main characters. She could've just said some details that don't mean anything, but she didn't. I think the author did a very good job writing the book; it was smooth and easy to follow. The only part I din't like is the characters who had bad personality traits. For example, some kids thought they were funny bbut they weren't. I thought they were annoying. I give this book four stars out of five. This is a great book to read, I would reccomend it. Have you ever had a class clown in your class? In the book, My Life As A Fifth-Grade Comedian, Bobby, the main character, is a huge class clown. Additionally, he never does his homework and slacks off in school. His teacher Mr. Maooouus, can also be funny, but he doesn't over do it being too funn, unlike Bobb. So one day MR. Matous asks the class to write a way on how the school could be improved. Bobby writes about a Laugh-Off. A Laugh-Off is a contest in which the winner is the one who gets the most laughs. Mr. Matous says if you make this Laugh-Off real, then we won't have to kick you out of school. Bobby was going to get kicked out because he was doing so bad in school. Will He get kicked out of school, or wll he stay, and make the Laugh-Off happen.
I thought this book was very good. I liked that every chapter has a joke, Why are vampires so bad, becuase they are suckers. I thought some of them were funny. I also liked how the author kept focus on the main characters. She could've just said some details that don't mean anything, but she didn't. I think the author did a very good job writing the book; it was smooth and easy to follow. The only part I din't like is the characters who had bad personality traits. For example, some kids thought they were funny bbut they weren't. I thought they were annoying. I give this book four stars out of five. This is a great book to read, I would reccomend it.

You have to read "My Life as a Fifth Grade Comedian". It is written by Elizabeth Levy. Its a funny book packed with hilarious jokes! The story is about a boy who holds a "laugh-off" at his school. In the laugh-off people tell jokes. The cover had the boy's face on it. He is wearing a smiley face tie. There are lots of characters so i am most positive you can relate to at least one of them. The setting of the story reminded me of my community and school. So if you feel like laughing your pants off, you must read this book!

I Thought It Was A Great Book It Was Very Hard To Put Down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The book My life as a Fifth Grade Comedian is a very funny book. This book is for people eho like funny books. This book has many twists in it. If you don't pay attention you be confused. The main charecter(charlie) is a bad egg. He is always doing pranks on the teacher. He visits the principal's office at least twice a day. He has detention until the last day of school next year. His teacher said if he changes he will makea laugh off and challange him. They both make it to the finals and the winner was .... Read the book and find out.

This book really got me thinking. It's about a boy named Bobby. Bobby loves to tell jokes and it seems that he thinks life can be a joke too. His parents make the situation even worse! His dad is so mean! Deep down he's probaly not. But ever since Bobby stopped doing his homework his dad just keeps bugging Bobby in a way that is not really nice for a dad to do. Instead of exoplaining to Bobby that he needs to do his homework he trys to joke around about it. he seems to think that Bobby will always get in trouble. bobby says jokes in class and yells them out. The princibil dr. deal wants to send him to some kind of school for wierd kids. but his teacher mr. matous knows that Bobby is better then that. he gives him a chance to organize a school wide laugh off! And that leads to a whole lot of adventure, a lot of joking around and a bunch of laughs! maybe, if you read the book carefuly you might notise how Bobby changes throughout the story. And when Bobby changes everybody seems to change. So, if you want some great laughs and a book that you'll be stuck on while your doing everything you do read "My Life As A Fith Grade Comedien!"

This all happened in a town. The problem was that this guy named Davy was addicted to alcohol. He started to hang around with other people that also drink. That only made it worse. Davy would have fantasies about a girl name Linda. Those people who he hangs around, Linda hang around with them too. One day he went to a place, the cops showed up, his friends started to ask if he was still a virgin and responded to that and he said, "yes." So his friends take him to Maxis house to do it. But he doesn't remember what had happened. Pretty soon they start dating. Davy had fell in love and so did Maxi. One day she told Davy that they should stop drinking, he agreed. They started to go to alcoholics anonymous. Both of them went, but at first they had problems, but as time passed Maxi didn't had any problem but Davy did. When they were one month with out drinking then they had dinner and went to the beach. That's when Maxi drowns and at the end Davy realizes he needs help, so he gets it.

I read this book for my 10th grade IGL Class!! I though it was a good book I know some people that were just like Davy and Maxi! In the beging of the book Davy has no friends and he starts haning out with the popular kids. Davy really like this hanging out with the popular ones because Linda this girl he really like was one of them!! All they did was sit around and drink all the time Davy started hanging out with Maxi one of the popular kids and they did stuff toghther and got drunk all the time!! They finally decided that they had a alcohol problem so they went to a counselor to get help. At the end of the book they are both clean!! That is my review and when you read this book I hope you take it serously and not be stupid and become one your self.

This is a chilling story, especially if you're an alcoholic! You want to hear a story that's not just a number on a page (statistic), then read this. You'll see how low you can get if you're not there already!

This book is awesome. it is deffenitly the best book i have ever read. i would probably read it again if i liked books but it seems that i hate them. i like the story of how davy gets drunk and gets horizontal with maxi. he finally starts to make friends but that all ends when maxi gets naked and drunk. She goes swimming and dies. he was sad. Davy went on a drinking bingeand wound up in the gutter.

This was a very good and scary book. It shows the truth of what happens to an alcoholic when they don't get help. When I first took this book off the shelf of the public library here, I was a bit skeptical of it because of the title. But since I've read it, it is one of my favorite books in the world!!