Youth Books

You'd expect the director of Kanakuk Kamps to know a little something about kids, and this book by Joe White doesn't disappoint. White shares the lessons he's learned from years of interaction with tens of thousands of other kids as well as raising four of his own, and some lessons he's had to learn the hard way. The book is solidly founded on Scripture as the foundation upon which to build a family and Joe clearly communicates that his number one goal as a father is to pass a legacy of faith in Christ to his children. The practical steps to accomplish this goal make up the various chapters in the book and over half the book is just practical resources and material for parents to use with their own children. Nothing earth-shattering in this book, but you won't be unaffected either. Joe White is serious about training young people and serious about grounding them in God's Word - your parenting will be challenged by Joe's commitment to this great cause of being a father.

My wife and i have read this book and tried to apply it to the raising of our five kids. It was a great guide for us and we have bought numerous copies to give to friends. Buy it, read it, apply it, give it away. Great job Joe.

This book is amazing! I've been using it for 7 years now and it is chalked with fantastic relational tips, as well as incredibly practical ways to train your child and give them a firm faith based on the Bible. Very easy to use. Joe White has done all the hard work of creating devotions, and choosing age appropriate passages of the Bible for your children to memorize. Our three year old memorized Psalm 23 in it's entirety, and we were shocked. I never would have even attempted to teach her had it not been for this book! Don't go on without it!

I am now buying several more copies of this book to give away. I was so excited when I finished reading this book that I wanted everyone else I knew to have it too! It is so down-to-earth and practical that I feel like I may actually be able to integrate some of the ideas into our busy lives with our two young sons.

I picked up this book because I've had the pleasure of knowing the author and his family. I've recommended it to every parent I know because it proved to be such a invaluable resource.

Having seen first hand the success that the Whites have had raising thier family, I was dying to see how much advice he could get into a practical form in this book. I was so thrilled to see that Joe was incredibly successful in putting together a priceless tool for parents of kids of all ages.

As a full time youth worker, I talk to tons of parents that have, for the most part, given up on their dream of raising Godly kids in the world that we live in. It is possible, we are called by God to do it, and you can never start too early!

This book gives you practical advice on how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task from a man who has done it! Whether you have teenagers or toddlers, there is practical advice for you that you can begin to put into practice today.

Buy it, today, read it, tomorrow, and be prepared to reap the rewards for years to come!

I learned many useful tips on how to manage myself at my first job, especially with my "difficult" bosses. I am happy someone put a book out there that is practical and beneficial for anyone to use for their first, or current job.

I am a recent college graduate who knew little about the professional workplace. This book really prepared me for the issues I was about to face. I especially enjoyed the section on difficult co-workers. No matter where you work, you will encounter people that are a challenge to work with. They give vivid and accurate descriptions of these typical people. Not only is this book helpful, it is funny! Any age, any stage of your career, this is a MUST read book!

I can certainly use the advice in this book. I found the writing to be concise and the tips were very useful. I like how the book is organized because you can easily located the issues that are most interesting. The section on "how to relate to your boss" really helped me get through some stressful moments at work. I will continue to use this book as a guide. Thanks!

I am a recent college grad, and I came into the work world nervous and unsure of what to expect. I received this book as a gift from a friend, and it really helped me adjust to my first "real job." I learned a lot about office ettiquite, communication, and working as a team. This book is a must read for new grads. This survival guide will prepare you for many of the challenges you will face on the job everyday.

Having just graduated from college, I find First-Job Survival Guide to be very useful in making the college to workforce transition. It has valuable tips about writing business emails, using business etiquette, and shifting from hoodies and jeans to business-casual attire. The authors give great advice for dealing with a broad spectrum of situations and communicating with coworkers and bosses. I would definitely recommend it to anyone just entering the workforce and to people who have been working for years and are looking for an update.

I was lost. I had just read Al Gore's book, Earth in the Balance, and, of course, I was shocked at what we are doing to the earth, and how it is being destructed. I decided that I wanted to start an advocacy organization. But where to start? I was troubled. In a Las Vegas, Nevada bookstore I found answers to my problems. A book on how to cope with the woes of starting an advocacy organization, that gave tips on anything ranging from student rights to lobbying. This book is highly informative, yet Seo talks about everything with such a great blend of comic satire, that the hard facts never became lectures. All of these tips coming from a master protester and veteran of the business. As a thirteen year old who is highly concerned about the environment I would give this book five stars. As a learned scholar who has read many texts, the rating remains five stars. Whether kid or adult, you are sure to love this Seo "thriller".

Rarely do you find a book that talks about ACTION instead of PROBLEMS. Danny Seo's "Generation React" provides inspring ideas and practical information on how to change the world around you, whether you are an activist or not. The author shows that everyone can make a difference, no matter how old you are. The amazing truth is, what Danny has done can be and could have been done by anyone else. To quote Danny's description of starting Earth 2000 at age 12, "Sure, we couldn't drive -- heck, we couldn't even cross the street -- but we had the three things every great activit group needs: dedication, enthusiasm, and tenacity." It's simple. Everyone can do it. So read it, be inspired, take action, and make the world a better place.

This book is for anybody who wants to make a change in their global or local world, not just teens. Though Danny's only 20, he knows more from his time as an activist than most people three times his age. If you are unhappy about anything from a problem with your town or school to the nation's environmental policies, this book gives the nuts and bolts of how you personally can make a change. It's wonderful to see someone who cares and is doing something about it. Danny should be a role model for any concerned citizen of any age - and his book should go on to become THE reference guide for a generation.

I was lost. I had just read Al Gore's book, Earth in the Balance, and, of course, I was shocked at what we are doing to the earth, and how it is being destructed. I decided that I wanted to start an advocacy organization. But where to start? I was troubled. In a Las Vegas, Nevada bookstore I found answers to my problems. A book on how to cope with the woes of starting an advocacy organization, that gave tips on anything ranging from student rights to lobbying. This book is highly informative, yet Seo talks about everything with such a great blend of comic satire, that the hard facts never became lectures. All of these tips coming from a master protester and veteran of the business. As a thirteen year old who is highly concerned about the environment I would give this book five stars. As a learned scholar who has read many texts, the rating remains five stars. Whether kid or adult, you are sure to love this Seo "thriller".

I saw Danny Seo on an old re-run of Leeza during a summer-camp break. (We never watch day time TV) & called my daughter to come listen. We then bought the book & read it together. Reading of this book should be a school project or requirement...it will produce softer, gentler more caring kids & transform them into bright young active citizens. I will send this book to school for her second grade class teacher to have a peak at & hopefully she can do something & perhaps create a "learning-sharing project" for the kids....maybe near Thanksgiving or Earth Day??

My daughter has Down Syndrome and I got this book upon recomendation by a physical therapist. I would recommend this book to every parent who is interested in participating in early intervention for their down syndrome child. The book is written very well for the lay person. For those of you with children who have down syndrome, it's a tough and wonderful road and god bless you!

Easy to understand, step by step ideas for promoting motor development in any child who has low tone (hypotonia), not just children with Down Syndrome. Provides clear photos as well as written instruction. This introduces the same ideas I teach parents as a therapist in the parent-infant education program.

This is a great book for learning about gross motor development. As with the other books like it, this book follows stages rather than ages, so the user can focus on the particular child and his/her development.

Our daughter has DS and is having some GMS issues. However, this book provides instruction on how to progress to each step toward walking. The therpist we use has began to instruct us on some of these steps, but our daughter has already been through them, so it is keeping her ahead of the game. I've heard a lot about Patricia Winders, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy other books of hers as well.

This book not only tells you the progression a child with Down Syndrome should follow, it then gives you suggestions of things to work on and checklists at the end of each chapter so you know what your child should be doing before you really move on to harder skills. Wonderful help for both a parent and a professional!

Ever wondered if your life would change if you stumbled on millions of dollars? And how far would you be willing to go to make your wildest dreams your reality?

John Cassell finds himself in such a dubious position. Through a series of events well before his time, a fortune falls into his lap. But a mysterious fortuneteller promises not everything is as it appears. Although John cannot possibly imagine life any different than January 1971, the following month turns him on his head. A mysterious beauty and a taboo relationship are but a small part of John's tangled web. Soon he finds himself in way over his head and no life preserver in sight. Just as everything grows clearer, the water muddies yet again.

The reader is invited on a thrilling adventure with innumerable twists and turns. Once you think you have John's life figured out, it goes in yet another complete one-eighty. Along the journey you find yourself pulling for the hero as he bumbles and stumbles his way on his quest. Before 1971 becomes part of the past, John narrows in on untold wealth and a true love. Yet he must ask himself the ultimate question before it is finished. Which pursuit is more important, the quest for wealth or for love?

As you read this adventure, you will swear that the author must have lived every single minute. The rich, vivid detail places you, quite literally, all over the world. Whether in the sand of New Mexico, the beaches of New Jersey, or the conflict in Africa, every location brings a unique and difficult life changing lesson for John. Follow him on his journey and find yourself forever changed.

John Cassell's HELL'S QUEST: 1971 has a feel of literary majesty, high intrigue, and history X-Rayed. Iconic graphics and photo collages on the book's cover conceptualize the panorama. Of course the diamonds spilling out of the velvet bag were what I noticed first, then the playing cards.

The opening chapter taking place in 1914 immediately surged a historic intrigue among blood-warm (and chilled) characters. Style and mood stepped off the textual stage as news releases served as ambiance for contrast between the reality, the politically demonic twists of it, and the journalistic reporting of the twisted versions.

As chapter two opened, the 1971 stage eased into focus, fading the panoramic past into the quietly personal, easily growing connection between John and Toni in their present.

The first two chapters exposes HQ has a grand, magnetic presence which takes the reader beyond and into every day life, with more power and majesty than most saga-type novels.

I was impressed with the way Cassell presented the ugly political lies, fully exposing the true, casual evil in the opening chapter. I too easily forget that people exist who live to pursue that type of perverse manipulation with casual, effortless execution, with no concept of compassion. Humans are means to ends of whims, plots, or conspiracies. The twists were perfectly accomplished, as was the way Mullaney was entwined into evolving machinations. The contrasts of news reports with sequential events was fascinating, especially in the gossip column which captured the style of that type of "journalism."

The dream sequence on the sail boat was fantastic. Cassell had said it was a dream prior to describing it, but it was so vivid and captivating, that I had forgotten his preface and began seeing it as a reality in its setting. When John woke up I was surprised, then glad to remembered it was a dream. That's good writing!

I'm speculating that this author lives in his written worlds so vividly that they come alive in the book partially because of that all consuming mind-set. When a writer is in the story that far, the words come in service to the visions; words serve rather than calling attention to themselves. I don't mind, though, when a collection of words become a literary symphony, singing to be quoted with admiration. Reading was effortless, engrossing at a good level. I wanted to say at a comfortable level, but Cassell conjures so many intense emotions, that word seemed off. Yet, enough joy and compassion was shared that even the essential pain was felt as entertainment instead of being too heavy.

I had thought I was going to (and did) get a globe trotting, travel extravaganza of a story steeped into a rich panorama of a long gone history. Yet, I could have spent a lifetime reading the intriguing interchanges between John and Mrs. Seabrook, in her warmly haunting, cool, dark mansion; then holding her hand at the side of her hospital bed.

Talk about being willingly soaked up into a book. The storm scenes were mesmerizing, developing around John's history and connections at Stubbe's grocery; the flooding journey in his delivery truck; then the scenes and "THE SCENE" at Mrs Seabrook's (who turned out to be a highly significant character in both John's family life, his future, and the historic panorama opening this saga) dining table during a high tea of high historic revelation.

I was surprised and interested by the wisdom inherent in John's contemplations about the diamonds, particularly this:

"One thing I'd always liked about myself was my ability to be happy with very little. For better or worse, my refusal to develop any kind of lust for wealth or power had given me a very precious kind of freedom, one I liked. I knew all about the frustrations of poverty...I knew nothing about the frustrations of wealth. I figured I'd let the issue ride for a day or two."

Laura Christian entered to open a new saga, capturing Cassell as he captured her, with the reader willingly in the wings. That scene no sooner faded and Best Friend Roberta showed up on Cassell's mother's doorstep, with John leaping to open the door. As I've noted repeatedly, this story continues to capture with solid emotion engaged, and curiosity creaking with carefree abandon, when it's not catapulting the reader further into Cassell's sagacious panorama.

I enjoyed observing John's personality complexity applied to women friends; it's refreshing encounter a male character who's not a womanizer, yet who relates beautifully with various types... after getting through his initial stumbling shyness (which, endearingly, he overcame in each case).

The quality of writing comes through HQ-71 so strongly, it feels like it's been written at a level of GATEWAY potency. One doesn't open the pages of John's novel ready to expend an initial effort to seat words into mind for a short period prior to book coming alive. When one opens the pages of HQ, a gateway opens automatically. This type of immediate "in" to a read is a strange, uncanny effect which I attribute to those types of authors who are in regular touch with their souls, writing from there, slipping into a visionary state of living what they're writing.

Is this novel worth the ten million in diamonds which moved through time and trial to get to the fictional hero of John W. Cassell (a take off from the reality JWC who delightfully named his hero after himself)? The fact says something worth noting, that I had to give pause to seriously consider that question after posing it, and that I'm still contemplating that this story might truly be worth more than ten million in diamonds.

Linda Shelnutt
Morning Comes: the Pre Dawn Blues - Part 1

John Cassell's HELL'S QUEST: 1971 has a feel of literary majesty, high intrigue, and history X-Rayed. Iconic graphics and photo collages on the book's cover conceptualize the panorama. Of course the diamonds spilling out of the velvet bag were what I noticed first, then the playing cards.

The opening chapter taking place in 1914 immediately surged a historic intrigue among blood-warm (and chilled) characters. Style and mood stepped off the textual stage as news releases served as ambiance for contrast between the reality, the politically demonic twists of it, and the journalistic reporting of the twisted versions.

As chapter two opened, the 1971 stage eased into focus, fading the panoramic past into the quietly personal, easily growing connection between John and Toni in their present.

The first two chapters exposes HQ has a grand, magnetic presence which takes the reader beyond and into every day life, with more power and majesty than most saga-type novels.

I was impressed with the way Cassell presented the ugly political lies, fully exposing the true, casual evil in the opening chapter. I too easily forget that people exist who live to pursue that type of perverse manipulation with casual, effortless execution, with no concept of compassion. Humans are means to ends of whims, plots, or conspiracies. The twists were perfectly accomplished, as was the way Mullaney was entwined into evolving machinations. The contrasts of news reports with sequential events was fascinating, especially in the gossip column which captured the style of that type of "journalism."

The dream sequence on the sail boat was fantastic. Cassell had said it was a dream prior to describing it, but it was so vivid and captivating, that I had forgotten his preface and began seeing it as a reality in its setting. When John woke up I was surprised, then glad to remembered it was a dream. That's good writing!

I'm speculating that this author lives in his written worlds so vividly that they come alive in the book partially because of that all consuming mind-set. When a writer is in the story that far, the words come in service to the visions; words serve rather than calling attention to themselves. I don't mind, though, when a collection of words become a literary symphony, singing to be quoted with admiration. Reading was effortless, engrossing at a good level. I wanted to say at a comfortable level, but Cassell conjures so many intense emotions, that word seemed off. Yet, enough joy and compassion was shared that even the essential pain was felt as entertainment instead of being too heavy.

I had thought I was going to (and did) get a globe trotting, travel extravaganza of a story steeped into a rich panorama of a long gone history. Yet, I could have spent a lifetime reading the intriguing interchanges between John and Mrs. Seabrook, in her warmly haunting, cool, dark mansion; then holding her hand at the side of her hospital bed.

Talk about being willingly soaked up into a book. The storm scenes were mesmerizing, developing around John's history and connections at Stubbe's grocery; the flooding journey in his delivery truck; then the scenes and "THE SCENE" at Mrs Seabrook's (who turned out to be a highly significant character in both John's family life, his future, and the historic panorama opening this saga) dining table during a high tea of high historic revelation.

I was surprised and interested by the wisdom inherent in John's contemplations about the diamonds, particularly this:

"One thing I'd always liked about myself was my ability to be happy with very little. For better or worse, my refusal to develop any kind of lust for wealth or power had given me a very precious kind of freedom, one I liked. I knew all about the frustrations of poverty...I knew nothing about the frustrations of wealth. I figured I'd let the issue ride for a day or two."

Laura Christian entered to open a new saga, capturing Cassell as he captured her, with the reader willingly in the wings. That scene no sooner faded and Best Friend Roberta showed up on Cassell's mother's doorstep, with John leaping to open the door. As I've noted repeatedly, this story continues to capture with solid emotion engaged, and curiosity creaking with carefree abandon, when it's not catapulting the reader further into Cassell's sagacious panorama.

I enjoyed observing John's personality complexity applied to women friends; it's refreshing encounter a male character who's not a womanizer, yet who relates beautifully with various types... after getting through his initial stumbling shyness (which, endearingly, he overcame in each case).

The quality of writing comes through HQ-71 so strongly, it feels like it's been written at a level of GATEWAY potency. One doesn't open the pages of John's novel ready to expend an initial effort to seat words into mind for a short period prior to book coming alive. When one opens the pages of HQ, a gateway opens automatically. This type of immediate "in" to a read is a strange, uncanny effect which I attribute to those types of authors who are in regular touch with their souls, writing from there, slipping into a visionary state of living what they're writing.

Is this novel worth the ten million in diamonds which moved through time and trial to get to the fictional hero of John W. Cassell (a take off from the reality JWC who delightfully named his hero after himself)? The fact says something worth noting, that I had to give pause to seriously consider that question after posing it, and that I'm still contemplating that this story might truly be worth more than ten million in diamonds.

Linda Shelnutt

Morning Comes: the Pre Dawn Blues - Part 1
I'm rereading my novel, available in a 10 part series of Amazon Shorts; MC holds uncanny thematic parallels to some of John's books, especially AN AQUARIAN TRAGEDY, which I'm now reading, having finished the rest of the current Cassell collection, and having opened a related customer discussion in the Amazon Shorts forum.

Gaston Eskades, one of Belgium's richest men, has converted much of his wealth into diamonds in anticipation of a war that looms across the continent of Europe. On the eve of WW1, he is leaving the country - in the company of his diamonds - to sit out the war in America. He will discover that even the most meticulous plans are not foolproof.

The stash of diamonds survives through the decades until they are reunited with the descendants of the people who obtained them from Eskades. But there's a problem: rich and powerful people know of the diamonds and they intend to get them at any cost.

Cassell has written an intriguing adventure story and while doing so gives us a glimpse (and some insight) into those few years when the world was transitioning from the one our grandparents knew into the one that is all-too-familiar today.

Although it encompasses about one year in the life of John Cassell (the character, not the author), it is more like a sweeping saga that takes the reader on a journey across the continents and in and out of exotic locales - and dangerous situations. The author's youthful travels and adventures are no doubt part of the basis for the book.

It is flawlessly written, as one might expect from a former prosecutor, and will appeal to readers who like to entrench themselves into a book full of intrigue, mystery, romance, and adventure...An excellent study in literature.

It was the siren song of Linda Shelnutt's amazon forum topic that kept my mind returning to this book as one I should buy. It's expensive and it's thick...two strikes to be sure. And yet grand slam home runs are hit with counts of two strikes on a batter, and this book hit a home run with me!!!!!

It has everything for the adventure aficianado. EVERYTHING! Cops and robbers, engaging love interest, war (And by the way, the author knows the score when it comes to the extreme monotony, exhaustion, rashes and filth of war. Very well done), exciting car chases, nerve-grinding suspense, Organized Crime, crazy-mixed up youth, fun in the sun. The whole nine yards.

This book has it all. I had enjoyed the first two instalments, Crossroads: 1969 and Odyssey: 1970 of this on-going adventure series and had heard good things about the fourth DeVilliers County Blues: 1972.

Thank you, Linda Shelnutt for your forum topic about this book. by the way I like her The Price of Black Diamonds a lot as well. This woman can sure be persuasive.

Anyway, I give Hell's Quest five stars for truly engrossing adventure.

MD

This was a gift for my husband. He loves it! It is about more than just football. It has heart.

"Hurricane Season" is a true story about triumph through hardship for a private Christian school's football team in New Orleans overcoming the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. This book takes a personal look at the devastation that Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita caused within six weeks. It's about a High School football coach's and his players' commitment to their school and team in midst of chaos and turmoil. It's about how football can pull a community together. I particularly liked reading how the coach motivated his players and how he taught them to be men. It was heartwarming to see how much the coach loved his players and cared about their personal lives and not just how they played football.

Another aspect that really touched me was J.T.'s close relationship and admiration for his father. His father built the school and was a big part of the football team. After the father died, J.T. still thinks of him often and wishes he could still run things past him. He feels a real sense of responsibility to make his dad proud and run the school well.

The ending of the book is very moving and emotional when the team finally gets to play football after it looked like they wouldn't even have a season. As I read about the games, it felt like I was right there in the stands watching and cheering for them. This book started out slow and was pretty sad, but is definitely worth reading to get an inside look at what the people of New Orleans went through during Katrina and how a football team really jelled. It certainly made my few problems look totally insignificant in comparison.

Karen Zemek, author of My Funny Dad, Harry

I can't say enough good things about this book!! This book is remarkable!! It tells the story about how people dealt with Hurrican Katrina and the aftermath and a remarkable man, J. T. Curtis, Head football coach and principal of the John Curtis Christian School. How he and his family brought together a school and the football team is an unbelievable story. Their story will make you cry, laugh and cheer!! I really enjoyed this book A LOT!!!

Gerard Zemek
Husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"

Hurricane season is an excellent complement to Douglas Brinkley's " The Great Deluge." While Brinkley provides an excellent analytical and scholarly account of Hurricane Katrina that should set the standard for many years; Hurricane Season captures the powerful emotional dimensions. Though grounded in the story of a high school football team, it transcends normal sportswriting by speaking to the bigger panorama of life, suffering, loss, and inspiring tales of recovery and fortitude.
With so many aspirations and dreams hanging in the balance, the J.T. Curtis School and football team regroup after enduring catastrophe and devastation and become a beacon of hope and solace for many of the victims.
Replete with an abundance of anecdotes and personal accounts, Thompson weaves their stories into a gripping narrative that will find appeal among readers of all genres. This is a stirring and fast paced treatment of those perilous days that is both wrenching and redeeming.

The Patriots are a football team that plays for a Christian school John Curtis. Members of the founder's family, his five children and grandchildren make up part of the faculty members at the school. They aren't just a school; they are more like a family. They have taken football members into their homes for extended periods of time.

The Patriots have a great team due largely to their head coach J.T. Curtis, son of John Curtis. "Hurricane Season," the story, takes place in August 2005. The Patriots are preparing to play their first pre-season game, which they do, and it's a shut out in their favor. Unfortunately, hurricane Katrina is coming through the state. Katrina will drastically change John Curtis School and students' lives dramatically. Readers glimpse the struggles shared by each family during and after the storm.

J.T. is determined to get his football team back together for some normalcy. While many of the players have been relocated, J.T. realizes that getting the guys back on the field will be a big help to them mentally.

Neal Thompson has written a very good book that should be read by everyone. A true story, while reading you feel as if you're actually there in New Orleans and very much apart of the school, their family and face all of their triumphs. After finishing "Hurricane Season" I went to the website just to get information on the school and the players.

Reviewed by: Carmen
Also agree with the one reviewer who says that if you enjoy Friday Night Lights.

Anna Quindlen, Dave Barry, and Roz Chast are brilliant, and I'm one of those people who uses such an adjective mighty sparingly. Like any anthology, this collection is, of course, uneven, but in general, it helps parents of teens laugh, feel less alone, and recognize what they are and are not doing right--and that's worth a lot!

Thirty writers offer their wisdom, humor and insights on the challenges of parenting teens in I Wanna Be Sedated: 30 Writers On Parenting Teenagers. Writings come from many notable literary sources, from columnist/humorist Dave Barry to novelist Barbara Kingsolver and more. Each presents their own stories of experiences with teens; from handling sexual issues to racial profiling, drinking parties and more. A 'must' for any parents facing the teen years.

Reading this book came at a time I was feeling overwhelmed with teenage issues and it gave me a sense of perspective that I sorely needed.

I read this book in one sitting and was delighted. This book offers a smorgasbord of honest views in re parenting teens/young adults and offered refreshing insights. I was delighted to see two of my favorite authors, Joyce Maynard and Louise Erdrich among those included in this book. Each author has helped shed even more light on an interesting aspect of their lives.

The essay format personalized the accounts and made the reader feel included. Joyce Maynard, a gifted writer included an essay about her son's girlfriend spending the night. Her essay was unflinchingly honest; clear, sharp and direct as are all her works. That is what makes them outstanding and effective. I like the honest conversations she had with her three children and how she took a healthy and honest approach to sex and sexuality. To her credit, she taught them the correct names for genitals instead of silly, infantile euphemisms. One funny anecdote she shared was when her youngest child, then 4, sang about vaginas on a city bus, much to the consternation of his fellow passengers. I like the way she responded and kept communication lines open for her children.

Erdrich's account of her daughter's driving was touching and funny. One can almost feel the snow and ice as they navigate the icy streets of Minnesota. The inclusion of fathers' essays helped make for a nice balance and richer picture. This book is a beautiful mosiac, pieced together by the brilliant works of each author.

I don't know if I feel better or worse after reading this incredible book. I could see myself and my teenagers in so many of the stories. I'd laugh, I'd tear up, I'd holler to one of my three teens to "listen to this, sounds like us (you, me)"
This is must reading for every parent of teens, it is our lives. No family is perfect, nor even close, but it's so easy to think everyone else has it easier than we do.
We all have our struggles, most mutter through somehow.
It's just the getting there that's so roller-coaster.
Teenagers are so roller-coaster.
Great book.

This book is a cross between "Tuesdays With Morrie" and "Father Joe." It is a memoir or narrative nonfiction about a young girl who is in an abusive environment at home and seeks comfort and saftey in her pastor's study.

The book is so well written and so easy to read. I liked the short chapters, each covering a different topic that the author discussed with Pastor Rogahn. Ms. Ludwig doesn't try to make herself look good and gets into some of the same scrapes and confronts many of the same dilemmas in the 1970's as teenagers do today.

If this book was not published by an unknown publisher and if it had a more appealing title, it would most likely be on the NYT best-seller list. The only disappointment was that the author only covers conversations from the first three years of her 12-year friendship with Pastor Rogahn. My only hope is that she'll write a sequel that picks up where this book leaves off.

If you liked "Tuesdays With Morrie," you'll love this book. It's honest, uplifting, and keeps you thinking long after you've turned the last page. And it's not just for teens. It's for anyone who enjoys a heartwarming story of friendship.

I really loved this book! It seems like all the Christan books for kids my age are about obeying your parents and not going to far on a date and all that stuff. I learned alot from the paster and the auther without the book being so churchy or religous. This book was fun. I wish the auther would write another book continueing where this one leaves off.

The reference to "books" in the title is a lead-in to topics of a more serious nature. The book is aimed at teenagers and the problems that may confront them.

The author, a teenager in the 1970s, came from a troubled home. In desperation, she reached out to her pastor for help. He was the Reverand Kenneth W. Rogahn of Messiah Lutheran Church in St. Louis, MO. The story is about the many types of issues--guilt, forgiveness, gossip, parents, and others--that faced her as a teenager. It shows how a very compassionate pastor responded from a Christian perspective, with answers framed in a way that makes it easy for teenagers of today to apply them to their own challenges, stresses, and doubts.

This book should be of much interest to teenagers who are reluctant to seek counsel from their parents or to those whose parents have been of no help.

This book is one that I wish every teen would read. The person who wrote it is one of their own, so she knows exactly what it's like to be them. Pastor Rogahn reached out to young Judi when she needed help the most, he gave her wise guidance in a non-threatening way, and she is now passing his wisdom on to the next generation. What a wonderful tribute to such a Godly man!

These are the brief memoirs of Judi Hayes (now J. Taylor Ludwig)--a girl from a dysfunctional home. She is the fifth (and youngest) child of an alcoholic and abusive father. Between the ages of 13 and 16, Judi was employed by Rev. Dr. Ken Rogahn, the pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church and School in Saint Louis so that the many books in his office might be dusted, arranged, and re-arranged. As Judi would find out, the purpose of these years of employment is not so that Pastor Rogahn would have his books arranged in ridiculous fashions (e.g. arranged by color, arranged by size, etc.), but so that he could be a friend to Judi--mentoring her, giving her a positive adult male role model, and teaching her about her Christian faith (both the doctrine, and what faith looks like in action).

This is a brief, yet powerful 106 page book, divided into three sections ("Eighth Grade," "Ninth Grade," and "Tenth Grade"), with each section divided into 7-10 chapters of 2-6 pages each. Each chapter is an excerpt of summary of a conversation between Judi and Pastor Roghan. Some chapters contain brief epilogues about things like Judi's father's death in 2002 or her divorce and remarriage.

As previously mentioned, "It Was Never About the Books" is a powerfully written book. Both Judi and Pastor Roghan are three-dimensional characters who the reader quickly cares about. The topics of conversation are wide and range from the Lord's Supper to homosexuality; from borrowing and returning to a physical fight between Judi's father and brother. Taylor captures the teenage thought process and manner of speaking so accurately that I cannot help but picture some of the teenagers I've had the privilege of knowing during my years as a coach and teacher. She asks tough questions, she "gets it" at times, and is clueless at others. As this reviewer is a new pastor, Pastor Rogahn is a bit of an inspiration. He shows love as well as compassion, he shows wisdom as well as a willingness to learn, he shows empathy while he stands firm in his beliefs. This reader wishes the brief excerpts would have gone on further or that Judi wouldn't have quit, or that she would more fully flesh out her own spiritual development.

In all, this is a book that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. It's a simple book, but it is by no means simplistic. Although I read it in a couple of hours, I will return to it quite often. It is a forceful, yet easily-accessible book that deserves the widest readership. Highly recommended.

This soft-cover book is written like a children's textbook, but Hine's photos look great all throughout. There are quite a few full-page prints, roughly 8x6 sized. I'm very satisfied with the purchase; only Aperture would print a book with better quality reproductions, and that's out of my price range right now.

Lewis Hine was a photographer who took pictures of young children at work. There were many different jobs that children held during the late 1800's into the early 1900's. Hine's photographs were extremely powerful. Each photograph provided information about the types of jobs children held and gave some family history. The majority of the children had little to no education because their parents relied on them to work and earn an income. Many of the factories preferred the work of younger children compared to adults because the children were quicker and were too young to complain. Hine has displayed photos in this book of children as young as four years old shucking oysters. The most dangerous job that was portrayed in the book was coal mining, unfortunately it was also the best paying job; a child had to be at least fourteen to perform the tasks. Parents often lied about their child's age to get them into the mines. The book would have been just as powerful without any of the information. The pictures were enough to convey the children's stories. Russell Freedman has done a wonderful job putting this book together. Seeing the children physically working was moving and emotional, which helped the author get his point across.

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This book weaves Hine's story together with his photographs of kids working in Maine's sardine canneries, Texas cotton fields, New York laundries, Tennessee and Georgia cotton mills and in textile mills all over the U.S. south. He took some of the most haunting photos of dark tunnels and grimy breaker rooms in Pennsylvania coalmines. He went inside glass factories, to farms, and onto city streets at 1 a.m. to photograph children distributing newspapers and 1 p.m. to watch them shining boots.

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If your kids occasionally gripe that they have it tough, get them this book and show them what the word means. Alyssa A. Lappen

This is a nonfiction photographic essay book that will touch any reader's heart. Mr. Freedman seems to know the facts and life of Mr. Hine very well. There is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book as wee. The information at the end seemed hard to believe but true. The book is only 11 years old so the facts aren't that dated. There are many saddening facts in this book. It reveals the truths about child labor in the text and photos.
The book was written to shine light on child labor history and to showcase some of Mr. Hine's photographs. The book is very interesting to read. There are quotes from some kids who worked in the factories and also some quotes from Mr. Hine who took great pride in accurately recording the facts about his subjects. This book could spark an interest in further study of this topic.
The information in this book is broken down and presented in an understandable order. The text is a harsh reality but it is presented well. The style gets the reader emotionally involved. The language is relatively simple and easy to read.
The information is laid out well and the references are listed in the back. There is a table of contents and bibliography and acknowledgement page.
The photos are a wonderful enhancement. The book would be nothing with out them. They are strategically placed and make the book what it is. There are captions that describe the pictures and they are discussed in the text.
This book could be used in the classroom to show what life was like and to talk about immigration and economic conditions.

Freedman has collected dozens of black and white photographs taken by Lewis Hine during the first decades of the twentieth century. Hine worked as an investigational photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC). The NCLC wanted the United States government to pass laws concerning child labor, and thought that photos of the work children did would be more effective persuaders than mere speeches and statistics. Hine traveled the nation with his camera taking photographs, sometimes despite risk to his person.

The text of the book serves partly as a brief biography of Lewis Hine, and partly as explanatory backdrop for the scenes in the photographs. Freeman gives enough background information to put the images in their context, but not so much data as to overwhelm the reader. The machines, tools and environments are so strange to the modern eye that without clarification, many pictures would be meaningless.

The most shocking photographs in the collection are of the young boys involved in the coalmines. The filth on their faces, hands and clothing is astonishing. By comparison, the dangers and deplorable conditions of working in a cotton mill are not as readily apparent as those of working in a coal mine. However, reading Freeman's text exposes the dangers of moving machinery and smothering lint and humidity not so clear in the photos.

The book concludes by sharing the changes in child labor laws that Hine's photographs helped bring about, as well as information on the child labor situation of today.

This book is full of eye opening and shocking information for the unaware. School may be hard, but without child labor laws things could be so much worse.

Raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm about 15-20 years later than author Ben Logan, I have long since concluded that for me it was the Right Time - Right Place. Logan's living history of family values, relationships and life lessons, told in the context or rural farm life, lets me relive my life through his, and glean our mutual past for the source of our values. I just read The Land Remembers for the second time. I think I'll read it every year.

I'm biased, because I'm from Gays Mills, WI (I used to mow Leita Slayton's lawn!) - but I recently re-read it, and was surprised at how many of the anecdotes and images I remembered were actually from The Land Remembers, and not from Steinbeck or anyone else better-known. Parts of this book will stay with you for years and years. It's like going home again every time I pick it up.

This is one of those books I will always remember. My children were young when I read it and I felt that it contained many lessons on how to be a good parent. And all in the context of very enjoyable reading. The story about learning to use the horse drawn cultivator shows how a parents help their child develop self-confidence, which is something I see so many people lacking. I can't say enough good things about this gem of a book.

This book is full of humor and spends wonderful time on how a farm is run, explaining the land, the chores, the wonder of living on a farm. Ben's antics with his brothers are delightful, and his account of his evenings with his family are memorable. I read this anytime I need a lift, and share its richness with anyone who will listen.

One room school house, the changing of the seasons and the farm chores for each one...a memior of one man's boyhood experiences. I liked this book and my husband liked it even more than I did. He was born and raised in rural WI, picking rocks, milking, and going sledding with his brothers. This book is well written and reads like a time capsule...the people & chores on a family farm. I would have given it a perfect 5 stars, but there is too much about bees. Less bee watching and the author would have a classic here. Great that his story goes full circle. We learn what happens to the people we've read and cared about...which is always gratifying to us readers.