Education Books

I haven't read an animorph book I haven't liked. And I've read them all. Too bad the t.v. show couldn't stick more closely to the books and get Spielberg to do the special effects.

In this book the Animorphs must tell the govener about the Yeerks before it's too late. Marco, Ax, and Tobias are chosen for the job. They fly to the capital to tell the govener. Will the govener beleve them, not beleve them, or is she already a Controller? Read the book to find out!!

Now that the yeerks have the Morphing Power,the Animorphs have a lot more problems...Everywhere they go,everytime they even try to morph,a team of morph-capable Yeerks cut them off...And now the "National Guard" has sent an army of tanks into town,but it kinda obvious for the animorphs to know that the National Guard has been infiltrated by the Yeerks,and those tanks will most likely be for rounding up hosts....But,they have an idea,What if they got the Govenor to back them up,and warn people of the Yeerk threat.....It could work,but then again,mabye not..........

i loved this book,like I aslo love almost all the Animorph books.This one is very exiting,and I loved the part where they tell the Govener that Earth is under attack......i think any Animorph fan will love this book,and i think You will like it even if You aren't really a fan of it...I also recomend the other books from the series,and any book by K.A. Applegate.......

this book is very pivotal in the whole animorphs plot, and has just the right amount of humor. if you like sci-fi books, or even humor books, buy this one. it isn't too expensive, either.

My son wrote the following mini-review:

The team could not be any more surprised than when news leaks out that the National Guard has been captured by Yeerks. This book focuses primarily on the Animorphs' struggle to first ensure that the Governor is not a controller and then to protect her from the Yeerks. Ax, Marco, and Tobias risk their lives to prevent her from being infested; they are successful.

With this installment, K.A. Applegate begins the countdown to the conclusion of this popular series.

The Raymer's book is a great title for airplane preliminary sizing.
The book is very useful with many tips about the subject.
The Torenbeek's book and Roskam's books is also recommended.

For any aspiring Aeronautical Engineer, this book provides indepth analysis and insights into design of Aeronautical Systems. Several design concepts have been demonstrated with real examples. A must read.

Great Great Great Great Book !!
An essential book. Every people who work in aeronautic and space industry HAVE to read this book. Very easy to understand. Should be the first book on airplane design that you read.

There are several stages to aircraft design. This book covers the first stage, conceptual design, which aims to find the best possible configuration for the aircraft prior to designing the aircraft in detail.

Arriving at this final design involves several layers of complexity. Initially the process involves creating several simple designs and performing a brief evaluation of their performance. This allows the designer to select the best design and develop the design to the point where it can be `fixed' and sent to the specialists who will design the individual parts for manufacture.

The conceptual designer needs to be a jack of all trades, he needs to understand all of the issues, but he doesn't need to be an expert in any of them. For this reason this book is makes it a great reference for people like me with a general interest. It gives an excelent overview of aircraft design, but doesn't go into fine detail.

This is an interesting and enlightening book (or rather tome) on aircraft design by a very knowledgeable author who knows what to say and how to say it. This is among the best books on the market dealing with aircraft design and is well written in a clear and easy to understand and follow format for those studying aeronautical engineering and design. It is also an excellent reference guide for aircraft design professionals.

This is a comprehensive book covering all the major topics in aircraft design including mission definition, initial sizing, structural and aerodynamics design, weight estimation, configuration layout, performance analysis and estimates. The author reinforces his teaching with tips, illustrations, explanations and equations and provide essential data for aircraft design.

Overally, an excellent book that is well worth investing in.

I purchased this book for my daughter so she can read that anything is possible if you truly believe no matter who you are. We are now Big Grace fans !!!

I got the book as a gift for my grand daughter who likes to draw. The vivid colors and expressions on the characters faces should keep her interested for a while. The story line is an added bonus.

Do you need a book that confronts racism, appreciates theater, and shatters stereotypes on a primary level? If so, Amazing Grace, by Mary Hoffman, is the book for you. Not only does this book cover the above topics, but is also highlights on key items for younger readers, such as reading about individual achievements and moral dilemmas.
Grace, a first grade African American female, has an imagination with no boundaries. Grace loves to act out stories that she is told. At school, Grace's heart runs with excitement when her teacher announces that the class is going to do the play Peter Pan. Everyone wants to be Peter Pan, which highlights the enthusiasm for theater among these students. However, as Grace wants to be Peter Pan, her classmates tell her first that she can't because she is not a male. The second reason her classmates say is that she can't be Peter Pan is because she is black. Here lies the racism in this book.
The teacher allows each student to take home lines and memorize them to try out for roles. The best would get Peter Pan. In the mean time, Grace's grandmother takes her to a Romeo and Juliet ballet that features a black Juliet. This inspires Grace to go home and learn those lines as best as she can so that she will be the best one in the class. When it is time to try out, Grace is by far the best Peter Pan and the class votes to let her fill this role. This is where the shattering of stereotypes comes into play.
Past the social issues, Amazing Grace also fulfills the requirements that the Temple textbook states are good children's literature. First, children's literature must speak to the child. Children, especially that would read Amazing Grace, are extremely egocentric. Therefore, they want to read about the potential for individual achievement. Any child that is repressed for any reason could identify with Grace. There are a lot of things that Peter Pan was not, not just simply black. African American students could truly identify with Grace, having to deal with their differences that are spawned by their skin color and culture.
The last noticeable characteristic of good children's literature apparent in Amazing Grace is the presence of in depth thought, especially on morals. This book spawns thought on all the social issues mentioned above. This book would most certainly cause students to re- evaluate their thoughts and stances on racism, stereotypes, and maybe even theater. So many times, students think that what their parents believe is what they have to believe. However, educating students can help not only in letting them make their own decisions, but also educating their parents as well.
Finally, this book is an excellent book for teachers because there are many activities that can be done to accompany the reading. Perhaps this would be a great book to lead into their own class play. Another idea is to place this in a unit on racism and segregation in the upper elementary levels. Also, a teacher could do dress up day and the students could be whatever they want to be. All stereotypes are shattered for the day and each student can be free to be who they are. Amazing Grace may be one of the most influential books that I have ever read on racism and the way that Grace and her family handle this issue is admirable.

I liked this story because Grace can be Peter Pan if she put her mind to it. My favorite part is after the ballet. I would recommend this book to a friend because its about your imaginery. The book is amazing.

By: S.J.
Los Angeles
Age 5

This is a great story with a great message. It tells children there are no limits to what they can be. It tells children not to be deterred by sterotypes or opinions. You can be anything you set your mind to. I bought copies for both my son and my niece.

this book is still good. i felt there were times that EVERYTHING was working so well for her, but then there would be realistic moments, so that was okay. Would have liked a little more of a look into the attributes of older cutters, and with maybe a more vague ending, because it's an addiction, a rehab cannot cure, but suppress.

However, with all that little nit-picky stuff, it is a book about cutting that is witten by someone I can actually belive interviewed cutters. So hats off, especially that it's a got a little notion of Christianity, haven't run across a book like this elsewhere, so that's why I continued to give this a five star rating.

I am so glad Carlson started writing teen literature. She has done miracles through her work. Thanks to her, we are seeing a refreshing vein in young adult Christian literature. There is now an alternative to the bland novels that Christian authors have written in the past for teens. Either we have the Lurlene McDaniel books where everybody dies, the perky Christy Miller series, or the historical fiction like Anne of Green Gables or Christy by Katherine Marshall which has little relevance for today's teen. I know that all of these have their audience, but what was missing was Christian fiction for today's teen. What teens seem to want these days is books about REAL problems they are facing daily in their schools: drugs, sexual pressure, and self-injury.

Carlson's books fill a much needed gap. I think her books could be enjoyed by Christians or non-Christians because it is real teens with real problems told in a non-judgmental way. Each character does use their faith to help them cope with a traumatic incident, but it is not done in a preachy way.

Blade Silver is part of the TrueColors series, with each book in a different color cover. The lead characters have all been girls, so far, and each book has been excellent. The voices of her characters are realistic and the voice is true to life.

In Blade Silver, Ruth has started cutting herself as a way to cope with the pain she is feeling. Her father verbally abuses her and her brother constantly. Her mother, also a victim, tried to kill herself and now lives in an almost catatonic state. Basically her mom sits in a bathrobe in her bedroom and sleeps all day, leaving Ruth and her brother to do all the chores and take the brunt of her husband's wrath. The reader follows Ruth as she starts to become more and more controlled by the urge to cut herself, at first only once a day and then finally three times a day. Ruth shows how a cutter thinks, wearing long sleeves to hide the slash marks, working in a detailed way to cut, stop the flow of blood, and clean up. I really like the descriptions Carlson gives of the pain Ruth is feeling inside:

"Like a drug, that warm feeling rises up in me, a sense that I have control again, that everything's going to be just fine. Then I watch the red ribbon of blood for just a split second before I press the toilet paper onto it. I breath deeply, and for the moment I am fine. Perfectly fine."

Ruth finally seeks help from a school counselor and ends up in a group home for girls like her. One of the counselors there ends up being a Christians, but these scenes are done in such a natural, non-preachy way that I don't think they would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

I encourage all young adult librarians to familiarize yourself with this series because they fly off the shelf at my library, and they booktalk great. I have also read Deep Blue: Color Me Lonely about a girl who is lonely when her best friend abandons her for a more popular crowd and Bright Purple: Color Me Confused, which deals with a character who learns her best friend is a lesbian. By the way, I wasn't sure if Carlson could pull off such a controversial topic without getting preachy, but she did. Thumbs up to Carlson!

To hide my lies and my problems is one thing to make sure that they never get out is a completely different thing. No one must ever find out the humiliating secrets that I have kept so long. The longer I hide them the worse they seem to get.

In this book Blade Silver by Melody Carlson, Ruth has a lot of family problems and her mom is very "sick". Her dad is abusive and Caleb, her younger bother is talking back a lot to their dad. Ruth has a very terrible secret that no one knows about. For the last year and a half she has been hiding this awful thing from everyone that she loves. Abby her best friend finally finds out what the secret is and Abby is in shock, disappointment and in disbelief that Ruth has never told her the secret.

I believe the beat part is when Ruth is starting to realize that a lot of people actually do care about her and want to help her out. After she realizes that then she starts to accept the help she is getting, then she starts to respect herself a lot more.
The entire theme or the main idea of this book is that you need to love yourself and after you do that then a lot more people will start to take you more seriously. This book really does teach you that you need to love yourself.

This book was the best book that I have ever read. I would recommend this book to mostly girls because it is a little girly, but a lot of people can relate to this book. I just think that this book is all around the best book that I have ever read. I gave this book four stars because it was so hard to put it down. I just wanted to see what was going to happen next.

Blade Silver is about a young girl, Ruth, who turns towards self-injury in an attempt to cope with life. Her father is verbally abusive towards the whole family, which caused her mother to break down and attempt suicide. Ruth hides her cutting by wearing long sleeves and somehow manages to keep it to herself for a number of months.

As a former cutter, I really enjoyed the book in the beginning. It does a very good job at expressing the emotions and feelings that one experiences in self-injurying: before the act, during, and after. Ruth is a realistic character who focuses on trying to keep everyone happy, including her hard-to-please father. As a fiction book, I was expecting it to be different... Many of the fiction books I have read on cutting don't seem real. But it's obvious that Carlson is a good writer with a great imagination. She was really able to pick up on Ruth's feelings, struggles, and resistance to help. The only part that I was not too fond of was the sudden appearance of God towards the end (I guess I just wasn't expecting it). I didn't feel it was very necessary. While it might provide hope for the religious, the non-religious addicts are left with nothing if they do not turn to God. I had really enjoyed the book up until that point.

However, I feel that this book is appropriate for most people: cutters, friends/family of cutters, and even just people who know nothing about self-injury (as long as no one tries to shove God in anyone's face... the book made it very clear that the only way to stop cutting was through God). I would definitely recommend this book.

To say that Ruth doesn't have issues in an understatement. Her family is having problems. Her brother keeps running away from home. Her mother is depressed all the time. Her father is verbally abusive towards everyone in the family. Ruth is tired of putting up with all this, but feels that nothing she does can change it. The only thing that makes her feel better is when she cuts herself. The pain that comes from seeing her blood flow gives her a sense of calmness. But even Ruth knows that this wrong, but she can't seem to stop. She tries to hide it from others but someone wearing long sleeves in summer looks suspicious. It finally takes Ruth's admittance that cutting is an addiction that needs to be stopped for her to realize that she can do something to break the cycle that she's been living in.

This was one of the most difficult and painful teen fiction books I have ever read. It was so real, like I was reading an actual account of a teenage cutter. I wish that no one ever has to go through what Ruth did, but I know that there are so many kids who share the same experience. I could not stand Ruth's dad. I believe that verbal abuse is just as bad if not more so than physical abuse as inner scars are slower to heal. There is an explanation as to why he acted that way but I was glad that the story did not portray him unrealistically changing at the end of the book. It was horrifying to read about how Ruth would get a "high" from hurting herself in such a matter. Even worse because she would feel sometimes that she deserved it. I think that it was very sad that her extended family did not do anything to protect the kids from their abusive father. Ruth's recovery did not seem fake, in fact it only made it more realistic because it took her so long to accept help. Melody Carlson is gifted at bringing touchy subjects like this to life. The subjects in this series are difficult and not ones many Christians like to face. In fact, there are some who think that teens only face these kinds of issues because of a lack of faith. Thus, many teens especially those who are Christians find that they have no one to go to about their problems. This series shows readers what really happens out there, allowing for questions and advice about where to turn for help. I believe this is the first Christian book to mention cutting. There needs to be more books that talk about this subject as there are many people out there who need help.

I am an adult, but once I picked this book up, I could not stop reading. The Boy Trap is entrancing, clever, unpredictable, and unique. Well done, Ms. Matson!

Great book. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm a grownup but read the books my kids read all the time so I consider myself somewhat of an authority. My all-time favs include the whole Harry Potter series (of course), Holes, Youth in Revolt (one of my favorite books period), Epileptic (graphic novel from David B.).

I love the book, The Boy Trap. Why did you write it? Are you working on another book? What were you thinking about when you wrote the book? I think it wasn't very nice saying boys were a waste of human life.
Your friend,
Aaron Nesselroade
(Ness sil road)

Dear Nancy Madison,
What's your favorite book you wrote?
What was the name of the first book you wrote?
How many books have you written? I wanted
to hurt Emma when she said that boys are a
Waste of human life. But I loved the rest.


Your friend,
Spencer

The boy Trap is definately my all time fvaorite book.
I like how Emma and Louise try to prove that girls are
superior to boys. It's something every kid will want to read
again and again...Like me.

Frankie Towers is an awkward and self-conscious guy who's low on the social ladder, unlike his older brother Steve. That's why Frankie looks up to Steve so much; Steve seems to have it all: popularity, girls, a soccer scholarship, even respect from the dangerous cholos. Unfortunately, Steve doesn't have time for his brother Frankie anymore with his current image to uphold. But when Frankie makes an enemy of rich white boy John Dalton, Steve steps in to help his brother. Although Frankie's social status is raised with the help of his brother Steve, landing him a date with his dream girl, sometimes Frankie feels that his brother is a complete stranger to him. He finds himself wondering why he has to lie all the time for Steve and just how far Steve plans on taking the conflict with Dalton. In this beautifully written coming-of-age story, Voorhees explores the bonds of brotherhood and friendship and the importance of thinking for yourself.

I'm not kidding when I say that The Brothers Torres is an incredibly written and amazing story. Frankie's character is so well-developed that I was sucked into his story even when I felt like criticizing him for being a jerk. Even though I've never been to anyplace from Frankie's New Mexican hometown Borges, everything from the limited date spots to the potential threat of the cholos felt completely natural. There's something so honest and profound about Voorhees' writing that leaves room for other laughs and life lessons. I was a little irritated that I couldn't understand all of the Spanish phrases with my limited Spanish skills, but that's where my negative comments about his novel end. The Brothers Torres has culture, an exciting plot, believable characters, and a meaningful moral.

I came away from reading this novel thinking, "wow" in a slightly stunned way. I don't think I expected this novel to be this good. The Brothers Torres is a definite must-read. I look forward to more wonderfully-written novels from Voorhees in the hopefully near future.

I am sitting with my father. We are both reading. He asks me, "what does orale mean? " and I know he is reading The Brothers Torres.
I had the extreme pleasure of reading this book a few months ago and literally enjoyed every word of if. I tried to read it slowly and savor it, but instead ended up reading most of it in one sitting as if it were a pint of Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar crunch ice cream I'd only meant to have "a couple spoonfuls" of. The books is just that good.
So often when an adult writes as a high school kid, you can tell it's not really a kid. The words the adult uses sound stilted, like ones some anthropologist claims teens of that culture speak, and the experiences the kid character is having just don't ring true. In his debut novel, it's as if Voorhees is Frankie, the perfectly imperfect protagonist of the Brothers Torres. His language, interwoven with authentic latino-American adolescent slang, is beautiful in how it shows Frankie's raw vulnerability to the very real conflicts of high school: being sweet on a girl who may or may not like you back, being bullied by older, "cooler" kids, and wanting to be accepted and loved by one's friends and siblings.
I don't want to give anything away because I want all the many, many future readers to get to go on Frankies journey like I did having no idea what was going to happen in the end. I will just say that the conflicts and successes Frankie has with his best friend Zach, his love-interest Rebecca, his brother Steve, and his nemesis Dalton are riveting to the last word. The interactions among the characters in this book also feel very true-to-life and Voorhees not only writes in a way that is vintage teenage boy but also the feelings of angst and joy he expresses through Frankie are authentic.
I know what I'm talking about because I spent 10 years working with incarcerated and "troubled" youth most of whom were full latino or "half-breeds" (latino and Anglo mixes) just like Frankie. Voorhees really gets what it is to be in two worlds and writes about the experiences of these kids with grace and fall-out-of-your-chair-'cause-it's-so-funny humor. I finished The Brothers Torres and actually hoped Voorhees had written a sequel that I didn't know about yet but could read right away. I can't wait for the next installment!
If you are lucky enough to read this book you, like I am, will be transformed. The amazing thing is that despite Voorhees's ability to write authentically as a high school sophomore, Frankie's journey is also epic and universal. Frankie learns crucial lessons in The Brother's Torres and the reader gets to become wiser and more compassionate along with him. In his very first novel Coert Voorhees has accomplished what all great literature does: a cathartic experience that is not only transformative but transcendent. Like I said, The Brother's Torres is that good.

Frankie and Steve Towers are brothers. Frankie is a freshman and Steve is a senior. Frankie has always looked up to his older brother, who has gotten a soccer scholarship, is one of the most popular guys in school, and is very friendly with the ladies. Frankie spends most of his time with his friend Zach shooting off fireworks in his back yard while Zach's mom makes them Kool-Aid flavored popsicles. The remainder of his time is put in to trying to impress Rebecca, the girl he has had a major crush on since grade school, and working at his parent's restaurant.

Recently, Steve has been hanging out with the local "cholos" (aka bad boys) and Frankie hasn't really thought anything of it until he gets in to a fistfight with John Dalton. John has always been on Steve's bad side and is one of the richest, preppiest kids at their high school. After Frankie gets beaten to a pulp by John and two of his sidekicks, Steve stops ignoring his brother and tries to help him out.

Soon, with Steve's help, Frankie finally has the attention of Rebecca in the form of a Homecoming date, and life is going pretty well until another incident with Dalton happens. This time, Steve really wants payback and will stop at nothing to get it. And Frankie has to decide whether he wants to help Steve retaliate or stand on the sidelines and watch.

THE BROTHERS TORRES was great! I loved Frankie's character and how he acted around Rebecca. I could totally see the events in this book actually happening in real life, which indeed made the book a bit scary at times. But it also made it even more great. I love real life situations. Coert Voorhees is a really strong writer and I loved his style. This book had me laughing at times and on the verge of tears at others. Overall, it was really a great book and I can't wait to read more by this wonderful author.

Reviewed by: Breanna F.

The first book i read and completed on my summer vacation, the Brothers Torres is a story about a fantastically potrayed sophmore in highschool named Frankie Torres. Just completing my sophmore year, I loved how the book comically potrays those awkward moments of highschool that we all have, and is amazingly accurate to the life of a sixteen year old. I wish all guys in highschool were like Frankie Torres and of course, Zach.
Thankyou Voorhees, i loved every moment of the time i spent with the Brothers Torres!

Frankie and his brother Steve are very different. While unpopular Frankie spends his time playing with explosives with his best friend, working at his parents' restaurant, and dreaming about Rebecca Sanchez, Steve is the widely respected soccer star with a scholarship and the perfect social standing.

But then John Dalton, son of the man who practically owns their little New Mexican town, picks a fight with the brothers, and Steve is bent on retaliation, especially when John starts fights with Frankie when he's alone and outnumbered. As things escalate and Steve begins to take more and more risks all in the name of respect, Frankie will come to realize that garnering respect and doing the right thing don't always go hand in hand.

The Brothers Torres is an unassuming novel that carries a powerful message within its pages. This unlikely coming of age story is punctuated by the rich Hispanic culture and influence and its pages are scattered with Spanish words and phrases that give it a completely authentic and genuine feel. All at once serious and humorous, poignant and full of everyday occurrences, this book speaks volumes about what it is like growing up in today's society, with the urges to do what is right and the expectation of acting tough. Voorhees gives his characters a larger than life feel and wields control of his plot with great skill. His wholly unique and entirely relatable cast of characters and clock of situations make him an author to watch.

This book should be on every parent's book shelf- at least every parent who has a school-age child or actually a child from age 1-15. As a parent of two, I wish this had been written earlier. But I have used its stories with my kids, the tips on communication and support to prevent my children from being a bullies or victims....not to mention all the wonderful parenting tips on how to raise childen to be empowered, happy and loving individuals. And it works!!!!

This is the best book on this topic. I have read many but this covers the bully and the victim and the solutions along with the psychological makeup of the bully. Helped my family.

My neighbor lent me this book since both our kids attending the same school were victims of bullying. It goes into such detail and covers every aspect. It gives you the psychology of the bully and the victim which we could identify with. I thank the author for helping our family and I have a new child in my house, happy and healthy.

A fountain of valuable information dealing with the issue of bullying that every parent and teacher needs to read. But most importantly this is about raising empowered kids...kids who are assertive, happy and productive individuals...who will never become victims or bullies. Filled with practical strategies, scripts, lessons and original stories that will teach kids to be express their feelings positively and peacefully; to respect and get along with others; to resolve conflicts; to communicate
and get along with each other... these children will not become bullies or victims! Every parent and teacher must read the section on how to create a positive, loving and caring home and classroom.

This is truly my guide on this subject. I have children and this has been an issue in my family . After reading this book and applying their principles believe me when I tell you this is a life saver. Without going into too much detail my child was the victim and we followed the advice and it worked.

Pellicer's book was an excellent book for anyone in the education field. Through short essays, he gives a clear, sometimes humorous, always honest view of what it takes to be a successful leader. While reading this book, I was able to personalize many of the experiences he speaks of and apply the lessons that he has learned through the years to my own life and career goals. Because of the way it is written, the reader has the ability to "skip around" and read the chapters that seem the most pertinent at the time. As a classroom teacher, I found this book to be a source of inspiration to me--inspiration that I desperately need at this mid-year point! After reading his thought-provoking, encouraging essays, I think I might just be able to make it until the end of the school year after all!

Caring Enough to Lead was an easy to read, interesting, thought-provoking book. By sharing personal experiences and perspectives in his book, Dr. Pellicer helped me begin to understand what it means to be a leader and to focus on some of the attributes and attitudes of an effective leader. The questions at the end of the chapters caused me to stop and reflect on my role as a leader in my school and in my classroom. The short chapters in the book enabled me to read one or more chapters at a time depending on how much time I had available.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dr. Pellicer's book, Caring Enough to Lead. It was easy to read and very entertaining while at the same time very applicable for teachers in any situation. It gently reminds us of why we choose teaching in the first place, to touch lives. Dr. Pellicer also reflects on several ways to lead as well as the responsibilities that come with leadership. It was easy to reflect on myself as a leader as I was reading this book. I was able to relate my own experiences to most of his chapters. His writing style of vignettes and questions was fun and unique to read. The short chapters made it convenient to read a chapter or two at a sitting and come back to it later.

This book, written by an education professor, should be required reading for everyone in the field of education. It is a very readable challenge to educators to reflect on their beliefs, practices, and reasons for becoming an educator. While reading the book, I highlighted many passages in order to come back to them and to share them with colleagues in the future. In reflecting on a career in education, the book helped reaffirm my belief that it is important to care about others and pointed out the fact that it is important to care about yourself also. This is a book that educators and leaders can read without feeling burdened with a lot of theory or extra rhetoric. The entire book can be read at one time or it can be read in small segments. It is a book that causes soul-searching and one that should be in every professional library.

Can a series of essays on leadership be described as pleasurable, thoughtful reading material? It can if it is Caring Enough to Lead by Pellicer. Pellicer presents twenty essays that are thought provoking as well as entertaining. Personal stories lead the reader into more in-depth philosophical questions about leadership. The essays contain countless statements that lead the reader to stop and think.
"Life affords us too few opportunities to show others how much we care, we can't afford to waste these opportunities."
"I wish I could find a way to encourage all the teachers in our school to run around and flap their arms on a more regular basis."
"Leadership is never about ruling others, it is about serving others."
"A good teacher can give a child power over his or her own life."
Pellicer feels that becoming a leader requires some who cares, excepts the responsibility of leading, and nourishes and supports others who care. All this is required in order to successfully educate our children.

My six year lod daughter can hardly put theses books down, she loves the wholwe series.

this book is great! its about malory, and how she connects to a new thourough bred hourse that arrived at Chestnut Hill.
and to the rebelling heartland lovers, it DOES have amy in it!!

This is a great book! I am reading the heartland series, and both series are great! This book is happy, and exciting! Has an interesting plot and makes you want to read it again and again!

I Loved this book!! It was wonderful, heart-warming and fun to read. I love horses and love to read so this was just my kind of book. The one thing I didn't like about it was that she had to have a boy friend, but they didn't make a big deal about that. So over all this was an awsome story!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

Attention all Heartland Lovers! I have made a website dedicated to everything about Heartland. It is filled with info on all the books and the author. You also may review a book and log into the chat room. There is also a weekly poll that changes every week. I also have a little section for Chestnut Hill. The URL is http://www.freewebs.com/horse_lvr13/ . Come check it out.

I just completed reading this book. I am on the Governance Council for a small montessori school, where my three boys have attended for 5 years and still going. I loved this book, but I must point out that this is from an AMI teacher and school not AMS. There are some differences that an AMS teacher or parent will immediately notice in the book. That being said, there isn't a better book that I've read regarding inclusive and peaceful negotations with children. Donna is a role model for all of us in how she interacts with the children, how she challenges the class to be involved in each child's challenges and truly loves and believes in each child. I have purchased a second book to have in our "parent resource" library for our school.

This book illustrates how a skillful practitioner and an artful teacher can make a difference in a child's life. It shows why our traditional methods of consequences and punishments, of making demands and rejecting children who don't live up to them create and maintain our hostile educational systems thus our society. Goertz demonstrates another way; a path toward healing and peace. She strengthed my resolve that respect, community and time are the way and that some children are on a unique journey.

It should be a must read for every teacher, especially teachers of young children.Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful: Preventing Exclusion in the Early Elementary Classroom

Laurie Prusso M.Ed.
Professor of Child Development
Modesto Junior College
Modesto, CA

This is a great portrayal of the Montessori educational philosophies. It profiles students considered challenging in traditional educational systems and shows how they were welcomed and thrived in the Montessori school.
It shows how traditional educational systems based on competition have failed many young students.
The author is a fantastic teacher and advocate for the success of all children.
Must read for all parents considering Motessori or Waldorf. Also for parents of children who have been labled at an early age.

This is a wonderful book. Donna Bryant Goertz makes a strong case that 'problem' children should not be tutored, medicated, put in remedial or disciplinary classes or otherwise excluded, but allowed to develop emotionally and intellectually at their own pace in a respectful, loving, supportive, and highly structured environment. Arranged as a series of case studies, the stories of these young students dramatically support Bryant Goertz's thesis, and the personalities and voices of the children shine through. In addition, parents (or others who work with children) can learn much from the discussions of how to approach behaviors that are disruptive to a Montessori community (or household, or playgroup).

My very first Montessori teaching experience was in Donna Goertz' classroom in Austin Montessori School (her name was different then as was mine). I remember situations in the classroom and on the playground, which, to be honest, terrified me as a newly trained Montessori teacher serving as Donna's assistant. She would often step into one of those "terrifying" frays, placing herself strategically in the middle of everything of importance, and handle the children with respectfulness, fearlessness, and creativity. I still remember those situations with awe, and as I work with the children in my current Montessori school, sometimes wish for the really excentric and challenging children who teach us all so much. My late husband, also a Montessorian, wrote an article entitled "Why Difficult Children Are My Favorites." He remembered the stories I brought home from school as I was learning from Donna Goertz. I recommend this book to any Montessori teacher who finds him or herself silently and guiltily cursing that child who disrupts and seems to defy the normalizing effects of the Montessori approach. It is a gift to all of us.