Vacations Books

I love using this book in my class. After I read it aloud, I have all my students write down different events in the book. Then, I pass out 8 popsicle sticks to each student. On six of the sticks, they write down events from the story. Then they switch with a partner and put the events in chronological order. They glue their six sticks together in order side to side, with two additional sticks glued under them (holding them together) - creating their own raft. They love it.

I first encountered this book at the school where I teach. The children were captured by the story of this little boy who, at first, didn't want to be out in the country but who quickly became enamored with nature as it, it seems, was enamored with him. The pictures are beautiful. My students wanted to eat up every page and see everything in every picture. They understood just what he was going through and felt the same way about their journeys into nature. This book is a beautiful, gentle and simple reminder of the loving magic that comes from a relationship with the natural world. It's incredibly moving to witness the inner landscape of this little boy changing as he spends more time outside. If you wish that for your children, or whomever you are shopping for, I highly recommend this book. (Or a car ride to the nearest mountain lake.)

This is such a nice (feel good) story about a boy discovering his love of drawing and his relationship with his grandmother, who is also an artist. My two year old will sit and listen to this story, although it is probably meant for children a little older (3 and up). I have read a lot bad children's books, but this one is a winner.

It's a excellent book. You can imagine it really happening well you read it. It is a wonderful fast moving story.
lydia and Hannah
age 7 and 10

As a native of Wisconsin, I had much interest in the story of a boy, his grandmother, and wildlife on a Wisconsin river. The illustrations, admittedly the author's strong suit, were strong indeed. The images were of such excellent quality that they almost made the book worthwhile. The beginning of the story held promise, but ended up spending beyond its means into imagination. Either a story of the boy visiting his grandmother for the summer and experiencing adventure on the river, or an imaginary tale of prolific so-close-you-could-touch-it wildlife would have been good. Neither was completed, and the resulting combination left me feeling flat. The experts, my two and five year-old grandchildren lost interest before the book was halfway through. Maybe for children a little bit older? I wish hope Mr. LaMarche to continue to illustrate, and a story-teller to author the books.

"Rainbow Road" is the last in the trilogy of "Rainbow" novels by Alex Sanchez. I gave the first two 5 out of 5 stars--they truly are classic gay coming-of-age stories. I'm giving "Rainbow Road" 4 out of 5 stars. I think this is a great book and part of a classic trilogy in this genre. However, the road trip setting of this installment didn't work as well as the school/home settings of the first two. This book is great, just not as great as the other two. What makes this book as good as it is, is the ongoing development of the three very fleshed-out and highly likable protagonists. They're just so much fun and so interesting. Their trip, however, came with lessons in life that felt very forced into the narrative, sometimes just too obvious, whereas the lessons they learned and the experience they gained at and outside of school in the first two books were much more natural. And I must say the end of Nelson's journey was a bit much--I certainly wouldn't council an 18-year-old to do what he does. But that's just me, I guess. It's sweet, but not entirely realistic--or safe, for that matter. And Jason's big speech was a bit anti-climactic: Driving all the way across country for a few minutes of generalities? Ultimately, though, this is a good read. And even though it's not as good as the first two books, it doesn't leave you on a down note. It's a very up book and I recommend it. For anyone interested in gay coming-of-age fiction, "Rainbow Boys," "Rainbow High" and "Rainbow Road" are must-reads.

Even though I am in my 60s, this book which is the third in the series I have read, is well-written and would have been wonderful had it been around when I was a teen. The book deals with the three boys who appeared in the two earlier books - and this time, it would help to have read the earlier books since then you would have some idea of the problems they had had with coming out. It deals with the radical faeries (of which I have been on the edge of), and it deals with all kinds of other issues which young people, gay and straight deal with - ageism being one of them.

I left one of the earlier book for young people in Asia and the other for young people in Africa. This one is going to other readers here in North America.

I would recommend this book for every secondary school library around the world.

This book is so good that it nearly brought tears to my eyes when I finished reading it. So much happens that I can't even explain it to you all. You have to read it. When I finally finished the second book I couldn't wait to read this one. I read it in a few hours and I seriously felt every moment of this book. It was so believable and incredibly moving and sweet. Alex Sanchez thank you for writing this wonderful series. You now have a life long fan.

I am very delighted with the book Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez. This book is a great book for those who are going through homosexual problems. Like not knowing how to come out to your family and friends. But that was mainly covered in Rainbow High. I personally love this book. It helped me understand how life is for the people who are gay. It also taught me that homosexuals are humans with feelings and go through everything we go through and more.
This book also helped me with how to approach a homosexual or how to respond to them too. In this book the three friend encounter a lot of difficult problems. They meet a whole lot of different people. They go through many hardships and other things humans go through. At the end all ends well when the trio still end up friends even though Nelson stayed in L.A. to make a new life with his new lover Manny while Kyle and Jason closer than ever make it back to D.C. Rainbow Road is a great book with a perfect ending and I loved it.

by Carmen BLA

I am very delighted with the book Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez. This book is a great book for those who are going through homosexual problems. Like not knowing how to come out to your family and friends. But that was mainly covered in Rainbow High. I personally love this book. It helped me understand how life is for the people who are gay. It also taught me that homosexuals are humans with feelings and go through everything we go through and more.
This book also helped me with how to approach a homosexual or how to respond to them too. In this book the three friend encounter a lot of difficult problems. They meet a whole lot of different people. They go through many hardships and other things humans go through. At the end all ends well when the trio still end up friends even though Nelson stayed in L.A. to make a new life with his new lover Manny while Kyle and Jason closer than ever make it back to D.C. Rainbow Road is a great book with a perfect ending and I loved it.

The wonders of the world as seen from a child's perspective are rendered beautifully in this story. I long to visit this part of Maine to capture the same wonder as the two girls, from jumping off a rock into the bay, to the sounds heard through the fog, to an oncoming hurricane and the preparations for it. Everything is described in calm language and illustrated beautifully. Probably McCloskey's most exquisite, wonderous children's book. A child will love having this book read to them--it brings a time and place to life that all children should experience.

Being a fan of Make Way for Ducklings, I was in search of other books by Robert McCloskey when I found this gem of a book. It is gentle, lyrical and so beautiful in it's prose and artwork. My children like to listen to it at bedtime and it lulls them to sleep each time. It is a book that celebrates nature and it's beauty. It's hard for me to describe but it touches me deeply, evokes memories of my childhood camping trips in the mountains.

Great book, especially for those of us who love Maine. You can almost smell the sea air, feel the wind coming off the water and hear the gulls in the distance as you read this!

The reviewer who found this book "boring" must not have much in the way of imagination. This was one of my favorite books as a child and I still remember it fondly (I'm 38). It doesn't matter if you haven't had experiences exactly like those of the children in the book. The writing and the illustrations make you feel as if you are there. You can practically smell the sea, hear the wind and rain, and the laughter of the kids at the beach. While drawing a vivid picture of a concrete time and place, the book also invokes a sense of timelessness, as well as of "deep time" and the ancient rythyms of nature. I think my favorite moment is when one of the girls stands in a forested area on a misty morning, her eyes closed, and listens to nature awakening around her.

This is a book about taking a break from the fast-paced modern world and connecting with nature (and appreciating its power), with the past, and rediscovering your sense of wonder. Written in the mid-50's, it was ahead of its time in some ways and is definitely as relevant today as it was then, if not more so.

I read my children to sleep with this book every night. They call it their dream book since they drift off to sleep with thoughts of sand and sea in their heads. The words draw beautiful pictures.

This is a well written and easily referenced book for anyone new to the Timeshare Sales world, and it fills in the 'blanks' that corporate training may leave out.

It provides a level of professionalism and respect for the industry and the sales profession, and gives a new agent some tools to deal with seasoned timeshare presentation attendees. When I was new to the sales industry, I studied this book diligently, and even recorded, practiced, drilled and rehearsed many of the techniques and responses.

I really enjoyed the section where the author encouraged an acquaintance who repeatedly attended presentations and complained about sales reps overcoming her feeble 'excuses' to consider waiting until she did have a job/money before attending the next TIMESHARE SALES PRESENTATION.

It's the nuts and bolts of the industry in a quick reference volume. All the sales lounges of timeshare developers could be equipped with a few copies of this text for review "between tours".

Happy Vacationing!

I have been in timeshare sales for over 8 years and this is by far what I would call the "bible" of timeshare. I use it as a handbook to carry and I give it to all my sales trainees. It is the best.

By the Author of: One Day She'll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel

Rita Bruegger gets the basics down pat. From the greeting and warm up to the pact break (absolutely necessary in most tracts), discovery, product presentation and close - it's all there. Just follow the directions and use some of her words. I found myself referring back to her book over and over again. Since each venue is different from one another, the specifics aren't covered in this well written book. But for the beginning sales agent in timeshare, I think this book is part of the foundation of good, positive selling techniques geared specifically for one industry.

Best book in the business. Thank you Rita, you helped to make me #1 for the English line, for 3 years straight. I have recommended this book to all my colleages, and they have improved their closing by 10%. All the other books out there are a waste of money, because they don't pertain to timeshare. Please, write one for T.O.'s , now, because I will need that soon, and the T.O.'s need it now!!

This is a MUST HAVE for any timeshare slaes rep. Bruegger has written the book on mastering the art of timeshare sales. She knows what she is doing, and it definately works.

She takes you through the entire sales presentation step by step... and shares the knowledge from her years "on the track" with overcoming the objections, as well as showing the guests their needs and benefits.

I work for the largest privately held timeshare company in the world, at their Gatlinburg location. I bought Rita's book in February, read it and applied it... I ended the month of March as #4 on our sales line. Great book!! I recommend it to anyone who is serious about their sales career in the timeshare industry. Haven't got the numbers for April yet, but I know I'm in the top!! Thanks Rita!!!!

I totally "loved" this book. One of my favorites. I am totally into "camp,cabin,and adirondack" decorating books and this book totally delivered the goods. Gorgous pictures gives one many cozy decorating ideas and just a book to daze and dream away an afternoon with.

In looking for ideas for the second home getaway we are planning, I came across this book and added it to my collection. It is handsome but, as the title would suggest, limited to one style. If that is your thing, fine. In this genre, the book that keeps rising to the top of the little stack on my coffee table is called SECOND HOME/Finding Your place in the Sun (or Fun or something like that). Second Home shows rustic styles and romantic cottage ones, too, taking me on a little tour of the United States as I turn the pages. The author obviously did his homework, too, because Second Home is filled with information on how to shop for real estate, evalute an area, decide what you want (and where you want it), etc.

As I just wrote in a review of Cabin Fever, this book, too, is a delight to look at. But it is limited (as its title says, of course) to one style that is a bit more rustic than what we have in mind. Still, this is a lovely book to peruse. As we gather information on vacation homes, our favorite book is a new one called Second Home, which includes visits to everything from oceanside homes and lake cottages to mountain cabins. Second Home also includes information on how to shop for a second home, how to decide what location is right, and tips on building, decorating and so on. I've never met a vacation house book I didn't like, and I like them all. But Second Home is our favorite because it has such variety of home styles and helpful tips in it.

In planning the vacation home we hope to have soon, we bought this book and a new one called SECOND HOME. Adirondack Style is more of a dream book and includes historical information about the style. It's also limited to one style, of course. The book called Second Home works on a couple levels as a dream book but it also includes information on shopping, building, decorating, and so on, and it shows a wide range of second home styles around the country. We like both, but if we had to pick only one, it would be Second Home. (A book called Cabin Fever is fun, too, but limited to very rustic styles.)

Between this book and another, also from amazon, called Cottage Style, I have more than enough to fuel my vacation house daydreams. A great start for 2000 and for my own dreams of early retirement.

My favorite book is Made You Look by Diane Roberts. My favorite character is Jason because he is funny and creative. The author is entertaining you while you read this book because the author uses fun settings, good words, and difficult problems. The book is about a boy named Jason who is trying to get on a TV show called Masquerade Mania, which is a TV show that Jason and his family are big fans of. So Jason's dad is where they film the show so his dad lets Jason how to get on the show. Jason creates a costume to get on the show. They pick the people on the show by how cool their costume is. Read this book to find out what happens to Jason does he or does he not make the show. I would recommend this book to anyone that can read. A wonderful book I would give it an A+.

I am writing this review on Made You Look by Diane Roberts because it is one of my all time favs! This book is about how Jason, the main character, is trying to get on the hot T.V. show Masquerade Mania. My favorite character is Jason, because when he wants something, he goes the whole nine yards to make it happen, even driving cross-country from Texas to California in his grandparents` giant sardine can, their camp`otel. The main reason he wants to be on the T.V. show isn`t just to meet the master of ceremonies, Jasmine, or Desmond O the host, oh no, it is to win a trip to Hawaii and movie tickets for a whole year!
Read Made You Look to find out if Jason makes it big on Masquerade Mania, or does he miss out on the vacation of a lifetime? I love this book because it is the funniest comedy of all time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good laugh!

I just loved the book. It was written so well by Diane Roberts. My favorite part was when the mother dyed his underwear PINK!! I just LOVED it!!!

I am writing this review on Made You Look by Diane Roberts because it is one of my all time favs! This book is about how Jason, the main character, is trying to get on the hot T.V. show Masquerade Mania. My favorite character is Jason, because when he wants something, he goes the whole nine yards to make it happen, even driving cross-country from Texas to California in his grandparents` giant sardine can, their camp`otel. The main reason he wants to be on the T.V. show isn`t just to meet the master of ceremonies, Jasmine, or Desmond O the host, oh no, it is to win a trip to Hawaii and movie tickets for a whole year!
Read Made You Look to find out if Jason makes it big on Masquerade Mania, or does he miss out on the vacation of a lifetime? I love this book because it is the funniest comedy of all time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good laugh!

Made You Look by: Diane Roberts


I read the book Made you look by Diane Roberts. I thought that this book sounded like it was written by a kid. This book was also very predictable. I think that kids can relate to the feelings of the main character in this book who really wants something and tries to get it even though the chances are slim.


The main character in this book is Jason and he really wants to get on to the show Masquerade Mania with the beautiful Jasmine and funny Desmond O'. Jason really thinks that he'll get his chance because his whole family is going to go to California!


When Jason and his family go to pick up his dad at from a business trip at the airport, Jason gets a big surprise. They're not flying to California; they're driving in their Aunt and Uncle's camp'otel. Jason is shocked. He'll still be the only one in his class who has never flown on an airplane. Jason spends the time with his family traveling to California (along with his friend Freddy) without complaining. Will things turn out the way Jason hoped they will or will the whole trip just be a pie in the face?


Read Made you Look by Diane Roberts to find out what happens to Jason and if his big plans come true. This book is 160 pages and I think that kids who like some comedy will really like it. You might even find yourself relating to Jason's problems!

Before you read about Rachel's magical summer camp experience, make sure that you read the two books leading up to it. In Bras and Broomsticks, Rachel learned that her mother and her little sister Miri were witches - and she was not. In Frogs and French Kisses, she continued to watch her mom and sis magically bond while she remained powerless - until the very end of the book.

Now, finally, Rachel's got her own magic. She knows she should learn more about it before going crazy with it, and she knows she should use it sparingly, but it's all so tempting. When something witchy this way comes in the form of another camper, all bets are off.

In her previous Magic in Manhattan books, Sarah Mlynowski blended together the humor and magic of Bewitched and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. With Spells and Sleeping Bags, she adds a bit of The Parent Trap to the mix, complete with summer camp pranks and twists of relativity. Bring your sunscreen and your sense of humor.

My middle school-age daughter has loved the previous books in this series. But today she informed that she won't be finishing Spells & Sleeping Bags because of the language the author has chosen to use for this book; dirty old man "porn terms," lots of "D" words and several other foul words. Perhaps this doesn't concern some parents -- but it should. I was dismayed by the review from a mother that said she and her daughter had enjoyed reading it together....WHATHE!? She must be trying to be one of those "cool mom's." Definitely would avoid if you're trying to keep your girl out of the Brittney Spears world.

Hear an interview with Spells & Sleeping Bags author Sarah Mlynowski on The Book of Life podcast's July 2007 episode "Magic & Mystery," at www.bookoflifepodcast.com!

These are the funniest books but with a depth that makes them memorable. Plus, oh my goodness, the pacing! Non-stop drama. I can't wait for PARTIES & POTIONS!

I purchased this book for my 11 year old niece that had read the two previous books. She read this book in 4 days - while we were on an action packed ski vacation.

I bought this book for my 8 year old daughter. She loves this series and it has really helped move her from little kid books to chapter books. She was intimidated to read chapter books and very reluctant to move from younger books to "bigger books" but these made the transition very smooth for her. She loves the story lines and Judy Moody isn't as bratty as Junie B. Jones. She now has the whole set and re-reads these constantly. The boy version of these is Judy's brother Stink's series and she loves to read those too. I highly recommend these books from around 5 if you're reading them to the child up to about 8 or 9.

My kids have all Judy Moody and Stink books. They love them, and I know for the fact that they help kids who struggle with reading in 3rd grade. They are easy to read and have a good story, are funny and appealing to that age group. A must have!

While at the bookstore, two girls ages 9 and 7 were talking to me about books. As a retired teacher, I still love to look at children's books. These young ladies said they LOVE this writer's books. What better recommendation does one need?

I really enjoyed reading Judy Moody Predicts the Future, Judy Moody gets famous and Judy Moody is in a Bad Mood not a Good Mood a Bad Mood. Judy Moody books are the best books I have ever read.

This book has big writing and is easy to read. I liked this book because it is funny and interesting. Judy is always fighting with her little brother "Stink". I would not like to be like Judy because she is too moody and annoys people. My Dad says I am moody sometimes. I hope I am not as moody as Judy but it is good fun to read about her.

I thought this book is a romantic book because it has a girl that had a boring life and her mom said her aunt called and her aunt wanted to know if she wanted to spend the summer in Florida and she said she did. But her cousin Diane said she didn't like Summer being there. When Summer got there, she met three boys on her first day. One was named Seth and he, to my opinion, is one heck of a guy. And Adam would be a rich, classy, one heck of a guy. And Diver, is a kind of like boring guy, who likes the sunset, in my opinion. I like Summer the most because she is like a romantic type, she loves guys and at first she felt like she was invisible. And I like the book most of all because I feel like Summer, an invisible person of the world. For all those in visible people out there, I suggest you read this book and you will understand that if you go to Florida, you will not be invisible anymore. If you can not go to Florida, you might try relaxing and thinking of your future. And another reason I like this book is because Diana freaks out. I like this part because she is actually trying to tell her cousin that when she wanted to go out with Adam, it would be a bad idea. And Ross was in rehab and she is afraid that something bad is going to happen to her cousin. I believe, in my opinion, that Adam would be the dangerous one off the tarot cards that the lady on the plane was talking to her about. And I also believe that Diver is the mysterious one. And that Seth will be Mr. Right. And what I should know is that if I read all the books then I might be right.

This is the best book, like, ever! I read it, and, Summer's just this cute girl from minnesota. Then there's Ross, who, at the end totally makes me want to read July's Promise to see what he going to do. If you haven't read it, I just can't sum it up in a paragraph, You need to read it soon and quick before everyone else gets it!

this is such a fantasric book! i read it because i really like applegate's making out series, but this one matches it up, no problem! i love all the characters... diana is so cool (i really feel for her.), marquez has such a great personality, even summer, who i found obnoxious at the beginning (in a zoey passmore kind of way, for all making out readers) is really likable. i can't stand lianne, though. she's such a fake. as for the guys, seth irritates me, i want to know more about diver, and i LOVE adam! anyway, that's all from me. read this book!

This book was written well and is very interesting. It reflects life as a teenager well and I think every teenage girl should read it.

i loved this book! but i have to warn you it has a cliff hanger at the end so be prepared to read all 3 of the summer books. this is about summer this really nice girl from bloomington, minnesota. ( mall of america!). anyway she goes to the florida keys over the summer to stay with her cousin, diana. diana doesnt like summer and you dont like diana, at first. anyway summer meets 3 guys and theres a lot of romance and mystery and secrets. all that stuff is kinda unrelalistic. ( really unrealistic actully but thats what books are for.) anyway this book is incredibly funny and full of zing from the very beginning. it made me smile the whole way through. so read it. you'll like it. its really funny!

Join Samantha and her cousins Agnes and Agatha on their adventure to Tear Drop Island. UH!OH! A big storm is coming and the boat floated away! Will they get stuck on Tear Drop Island? Or will somebody help them!? Read to find out. Recomended for ages eight and up or for people who love the Americian Girl Series.[...] by kate

Agnes and Agatha wan't to go to teardrop island for a day samantha on the other hand did not because it was dangerous and her parents died coming back from teardrop island. They went to the attic tofind something to do. In the attic they went thourgh boxes when they stumbled on a sketch book of teardrop island. They looked at pictures of samantha at a beautiful waterfall. There is also pictures of places in teardrop island. They thought samantha liked the waterfall.

Samantha saves the day
by: Valerie Tripp

The story I read was about a young orphan and her wealthy grandmother on summer vacation at Piney Point. One day at Piney Point Samantha's friends Agatha and Agnes came to visit her at Piney Point along with their mother Cornelia their, father Gard, and an old man named Admiral Archibald Beemis. Admiral does his usual asking Grandmary to marry him, but she turns him down. Every day the girls go swimming and hiking. On a rainy day the girls did whatever they could without having to be in the rain, but soon they run out of ideas so they set up their easels and began to paint. After a while they start to question on what the others were painting. Then Agatha suggests that there may be something wrong with the brushes. So they go up into the attic to look for some paintbrushes. Instead they stumble among some fancy old fashion hats and gloves. Then Samantha finds an old sketchbook that belonged to her mother. Once Agatha and Agnes saw how beautiful Samantha's mother's painted description of Teardrop Island they wanted to go there immediately, but Samantha was against that. Samantha decides to go there just to remember. When they get there everything seems to be fine they went to every site from the sketchbook. They swam in the waterfall and went to the big rock. But when they find out that their boat has drifted off and that they're stranded it became a nightmare.
The reason Samantha was against that was because her parents droned coming from Teardrop Island. Immediately Samantha said no. The twins asked her why she didn't want to go such a beautiful place and she told them about her dreadful past. The twins felt bad for Samantha. After the moment of silence they finished looking through the sketchbook. They also got lost and Admiral got knock unconscious.
When Samantha saw how happy her and her parents were on Teardrop Island she changed her mind. She looked at a little more of the pictures from the sketchbook and tried to remember what it was like. Seconds later she decided that she wanted to go to Teardrop Island. She wanted to go there because she wanted to try to remember what it was like to be there when she was little. When they got there they were having fun at first, but they got stranded and lost their canoe. Then they were sort of found by Admiral. But he got knock unconscious. The girls helped Admiral to the boat and safely made it back to shore where loved ones were looking for them.
I think this book was really interesting because it made me think about if I lost something dear to me. I'd recommend this book to girls of all ages because if might help them forget or think positive of something or someone they've lost. I also think it's a great mother daughter book to read.

When Samantha stays at Piney Point with her family, she never dreams what will happen. Her mother died many years ago, but she always loved to spend time at Piney Point with her friends just like Samantha. But when she finds her mother's old sketchbook, she becomes interested. Where did her mom draw all the pictures of Samantha and her father, who also died, when she was a baby? Trying to understand her past, Samantha and her two cousins go to Teardrop Island, the place where the mystery pictures were drawn. Their grandma forbids them to go, but they go anyway. But when they get stuck on the island, they get scared and realize they shouldn't have gone. I liked this book, but it was more of a little-kid book than I expected it to be!

This is another in the American Girls series about Samantha Parkington, a ten-year-old orphan girl living with her grandmother in the America of 1904. In this book, Samantha and all her family go to Grandmary's summerhouse at Piney Point. When Samantha finds her mother's sketchbook detailing a visit by Samantha and her parents to a little island, she and the twins, Agnes and Agatha, rush off to visit it. However, when a storm blows up, it is up to Samantha to save the day!

The final chapter of this book is a fascinating look at America going outdoors in 1904. As always, the illustrations provided by Nancy Niles and Robert Grace are wonderful, and add a lot to the experience of reading this wonderful book.

This is another great Samantha book, not as gritty as some in the series, but certainly a great read. My daughter and I both like this book, and highly recommend it to you!