Girls Books

Telesco has written one of the few books I've found that treats me like someone who has an understanding of the craft and is ready to move on. So many books waste space covering Wicca 101 that they're not worth buying. This one assumes I already know what I'm doing and am ready to move forward.

One of the main reasons I bought it was b/c it's a a looser guide and not a strict "how to" book. It builds on my basic knowledge and never talks down to me. Not as much fun as Telesco's "bad witch" book, but certainly a worth addition to any witch's library regardless of where you find yourself on the path.

This is a good book for those of us who like to think, and it's a book for the more advanced practitioners of magick. It makes you think about the different paths you might want to take, but at the end you mught choose none of them.

There is nothing more to be said about this book that other reviewers haven't said. Also I wouldn't recommend the book "A Charmed Life" by the same author.

Patricia Telesco could not have picked a better name for this book. For if it is anything, it is enchanting.

Ms. Telesco is a master in her own right with more than fifty books to her credit. Her latest, An Enchanted Life will prove to be part of her success story.

An Enchanted Life is not a beginning "how to" spell or ritual book. This is for the step beyond. This is for soul searchers seeking to create a better spiritual life. Ms Telesco begins An Enchanted Life with a warm welcome, leading the reader into a list of fifty practices for enchanted living. Set at a smooth and easy pace, she then brings you, in-depth, through each step, building upon your self-confidence by using easy, step-by step methods that the reader can apply at their own pace.

Bringing forth experience, a mix of philosophies, spiritual enlightenment and magickal perspectives, An Enchanted Life is a wonderful tool for encouragement and self-growth for the reader. If we as a whole could put forth these fifty lessons and apply them individually, the world would be a better place. How refreshing to not only read but practice An Enchanted Life.

M.L. Benton, Publisher, Echoed Voices Magazine
Copyright © February 2002

I just finnished this book and I am floored at the spiritual nature of it. In the introduction thier is a list of fifty things to apply for enchanted living. A list I am puttin gon my bathroom mirrior and reading every day. This book has two sections first is called the book of you, the second is called the path. The first is about connecting your self with your sences. It gives informative examples from Ms. Telesco's life and wonderful activities to help you. The second section have four path and a discription of each. The paths are healer, teacher, warrior, and visionary. The discriptions are given in a shaminatic, budist, islamic, and elemental sections. The cross culteral ties in really well. I haven't read a book like this one before, I only hope more become availible on the market. This is a book for any one searching for more than just spells and circles in thier magickal path.

While the first book in this series, "A Charmed Life", was an inspirational book, Trish offers a book on the workings of "Being Magick". She offers a book on thinking about what you will do and then realizing the outcome.

In this book "50 Practices for Enchanted Living" is the outline for her work. She describes: "these concepts provide a sound foundation on which to build any spiritual practice".

There is a lot of "thinking" material in this book. I would liken this book to what you would be given if you were going past the basics of your chosen spiritual path with a good teacher to guide you. Knowing the basics is good, knowing what to do with them is even better. But to learn why is knowledge.

Part One of this book explores who you are, why did you come to where you are now and what you are going to do with what you have. It is a collection of activities planned to give you further insight into yourself.

Part Two is about the path you choose. Who are you going to be and how will you get there. Why do you want to choose a path. Again, more thinking, more activities geared at making you consider what you are doing and why.

She touches on the paths of Healer, Teacher, Warrior and Visionary. While it is not necessary to be one of these, some are called to these paths. All are separate paths on a spiritual journey, and all to be considered when we chose who we may want to be. Trish examines each of these paths and offers a guide to thinking on each of them and what they could mean in our life.

And all of these relate back to her 50 Practices for Enchanted Living".

I found this an interesting read, filled with good thinking material. It is not often that a book offers material to think on. The material is well chosen and worked masterfully.

If you are happy just being a practitioner of whatever path you have chosen, then this book will probably not interest you. If you are hearing that calling to be the most you can be, then this book might offer you a place to start looking within yourself to help understand that calling and where you might be going.

Taken into Custody: The War Against Fatherhood, Marriage, and the Family

With "EVERY SINGLE GIRL'S GUIDE", Adryenn Ashley has packaged a necessary lesson for todays' about-to-be-married woman in an easy to read style. With the death rate for first marriages running at approx. 50%, many women will be marrying divorced men. Those men carry a lot of baggage, and step children are, arguably, the least of the lot. There is an ex-wife to consider, and the biases of the family courts, and the child support payments. In a light, sometimes humorous, writing style, Ashley has created a road map through the mine fields of marrying after a divorce. Chapter after chapter covers all the important topics, the financial aspects, the problems you will share with your recently divorced new husband, and the emotional import. Put romance aside while you read for practical effect. A real eye-opener, and a necessary prep before saying, "I DO!"

This book is hilarious and should be mandatory reading for anyone dating a previously married man. It will help you to feel empowered and knowledgeable about the big issues in marriage. As we all know, communication is essential for a healthy relationship and money is one of the most common triggers of fights between spouses (or spouses-to-be). So, here is THE guide to get you talking and laughing at the same time!


Now, if your future husband has children from a previous relationship (and you don't), it would be a good idea to brush up on your safety and read a parenting book or two ;) This can help ease any tension that might creep up with the ex! ;)Care for Kids: The Essential Guide to Preparing Caregivers

Fun book and very easy to read. I have bought several copies and have given them away at my pleasure parties to my brides to be. Plus, I have a gaggle of single girlfriends and have gifted this book to them and they LOVED it, too.

Knowledge is power is my motto. Adryenn teaches you everything you should know before you even think about getting married. Fun read and very sensible advice that you can put to use immediately.

I own this book and found it both fun to read and filled with great tips and must have information for any woman who plans to spnd her life with someone. Whether you're marrying a divorced man, or even just in a long term relationship without marriage plans - like myself - this book will be very helpful to you in planning your relationship strategy.

Adryenn Ashley's book is a clearly written, current, All-in-One, comprehensive guide to creating a marriage financial plan. Don't waste your money buying other books, then try piecing together outdated information.

If you have questions, need help planning your future marriage finances or getting through the legalese, this is the guide for you. Adryenn Ashley's book was written to strengthen marriages through sound and proven financial planning. Every Single Girl's Guide to Her Future Husband's Last Divorce

Joy's mom and dad have a divorce and every day she's at a different parent's house until she decides she wants to live her mom's full time. She thinks she'll have more freedom, with no one watching over her and it will be great-- or at least she thinks! Maya's trying to make a difficult choice. Can she make her oldest best friend Shana become friends with her new friends because friendships got to grow! Carolyn thinks that ever since mom dyed she thinks her dad is a miserable man with is just a little over-protective rules that force he to keep secrets then she finds out he's keeping secrets from her. There are three friends who are doing three different projects to do with three cameras sharing fun times, adventures, and even some bad times.

Joy's mom and dad have a divorce and every day she's at a different parent's house until she decides she wants to live her mom's full time. She thinks she'll have more freedom, with no one watching over her and it will be great-- or at least she thinks! Maya's trying to make a difficult choice. Can she make her oldest best friend Shana become friends with her new friends because friendships got to grow! Carolyn thinks that ever since mom dyed she thinks her dad is a miserable man with is just a little over-protective rules that force he to keep secrets then she finds out he's keeping secrets from her. There are three friends who are doing three different projects to do with three cameras sharing fun times, adventures, and even some bad times.

I absolutley love this book!It talks about problems every teen has.I really hope there is a movie.

I read this book and, although it may be boring at first it gets interesting. Really interesting. It tells the story from the view of three different girls, Carolyn, Maya and Joy.

Each girl is dealing with a problem:
Joy's parents are divorced and she wants to live with her mom full-time.
Carolyn's father is acting strange. Is he keeping secrets from her?
Maya's old best friend Shana is angry that Maya's spending time with Carolyn and Joy.

This book was great. Very realistic as the three girls deal with their problems... together. Plus, they're doing a photography assignment which leads to trouble... for all of them.

Theft, Lying and Secrecy from three girls. What will happen?

Maya, Carolyn, and Joy are best friends. They are three friends who are doing projects with cameras, sharing fun times, adventures, and even some bad times.
Joy's mom and dad were divorced. Now she can't stay at just one place because her mom and dad live in separate houses, so every day she's at a different parent's house. Then she decides she wants to live at her mom's full time. She thinks she'll have more freedom, with no one watching over her and it will be great-- or at least she thinks!
Maya, tries to make her oldest friend, Shana, become friends with her new friends, Carolyn, and Joy, because friendships got to grow!
Carolyn thinks that ever since her mom died, her dad is a miserable man, and has over-protective rules that force her to keep secrets. Then she finds out he's keeping secrets from her.

THE FEELINGS AND IMAGINATION OF A BAREFOOT BOY STILL INSIDE MY HEAD by Richard W. Carlson Jr. is just as the title suggests--feelings and imagination, as well as hopes, dreams, and just plain fun wrapped into one book!

His wonderful poems were a treat to read to my children, and the charming hand drawn illustrations caught and kept my children's attention as I read, bringing forth tons of questions about the picture.

Mentioning frogs, wishes, brothers, sisters, yelling, cheating, animals, first kisses, and black eyes, would only scratch the surface of all the comical poems and short stories within the books pages. All of Mr. Carlson's poems and short stories in THE FEELINGS AND IMAGINATION OF A BAREFOOT BOY STILL INSIDE MY HEAD will surely entertain and delight the children, as well as the parents. I know we loved it!

The author, Richard W. Carlson Jr. known to live in an imaginary world of his own as a boy, he now lives in the real world and successfully writes book and poems for children that teach valuable lessons. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.

Mr. Carlson's vivid imagination runs wild in each fascinating tale. The important lessons, both realistic and proper, are taught in a fun and attention-grabbing manner. They are exactly what the youth of today need, and what they will enjoy reading at the same time. His ability to tell it like a child is something that every child's book writer struggles for. The poems aren't too long, and drug out, nor are they preachy--perfect for the age of children it is intended for.

My favorite poem: I LOVED TO WALK ON MY BARE FEET is about a little boy who loves to look at his bare feet as he walks.

Find your favorite Richard W. Carlson Jr. poem today!

ASTORYWEAVER'S Book Reviews highly recommends THE FEELINGS AND IMAGINATION OF A BAREFOOT BOY STILL INSIDE MY HEAD by Richard W. Carlson Jr. for you and your children....

Richard Carlson's The Feelings And Imagination Of A Barefoot Boy Still Inside My Head! is a delightful, entertaining, and highly recommended collection of poems and short stories for children ages 9 to 12. The topics of these pieces range from family, falling in love, and imagination, to yelling, bicycles, and kissing. I Loved To Walk On My Bare Feet: When I was a young boy,/I loved life and felt great joy./I untied and my little shoes off I took./At my bare feet I wanted to look./It felt really neat,/Walking on the grass and soil in bare feet./I breathed in the spring air through my little nose,/And in the mud puddles, wiggled my little toes./I would play and daydream./Life was wonderful to me it did seem.

This was a book of poems and short stories. Mr. Carlson writes really good poems, I liked them all. Some of them were about Jeremy Grabowski's Crazy Summer In Stormville. I thought that was neat. Some were about life in Tucson Arizona. That was cool because I've never been there and it was fun to read about a different place. The short stories were all great. I liked all of them too. I think you will really like this book. Both boys and girls will.

Nathaniel

P.S. Kevin Carlson is Richard Carlson's brother. His pictures are terrific! People are really hard to draw, I know, I try to all the time! He does a really great job!

Many books written for youngsters have a problem. To get the skill to create the work, the author has had to practice . . . and that meant getting older and further away from feelings of the young readers. Richard W. Carlson, Jr. has overcome that problem here in a powerful way, and brought me back in touch with experiences I haven't had in over 45 years. The interesting poems and short stories carry important lessons for the practical and moral development of the reader. The youthful perspective is perfectly captured in the poetic style that successfully mimics what a talented 10 year old might produce while having extra smoothness most of the time. I especially liked the illustrations by Mr. Kevin Carlson. Mr. Carlson has an ability to capture stories, emotions, and situations in simple illustrations that make the point of the stories clearer.

The poems and stories are very short, well-suited for the attention span of youthful readers. One interesting element is that the book contains both poetry about Richard W. Carlson, Jr. as well as fictional versions of the same incidents describing Jeremy Grabowski's Crazy Summer in Stormville. You and your children can enjoy talking about which versions you like better, and what roles fiction and nonfiction play in helping readers.

I generally liked the poems about discovery best. When we are young, everything that happens (even setbacks) is absolutely fascinating. Junk and joy go together just as well as gold and joy.

I also liked the way the short stories took the potential for fright and turned it into potential for fun. Mr. Carlson has an unusually positive attitude that anyone can learn from. Children need more encouragement than criticism, and he carries that point forward rather well.

I suspect that most readers will take even more delight upon rereading the book than upon first reading it. I hope you will take the opportunity to do both. Although written for children, the book has much of the appeal of Who Moved My Cheese? for adults.

"Who lives in your world that's wonderful and so much fun?

You might be the only one!"

Those two lines may be the best encouragement for budding writers that I have ever seen. Be sure you children have the chance to read them.

After you finish this delightful book, I suggest you think about why you no longer find discovery as fascinating as a little boy picking up his first horny toad. How can you recapture that delight and its benefits? How can you be sure that your children and grandchildren delight in discovery even more than you did at their age?

Retain the mind of the three year old . . . and your mind will be always filled with riches.

Author Richard W. Carlson Jr. Brings echoes of maturity to freshly imaginative short stories and poetry in THE FEELINGS AND IMAGINATION OF BAREFOOT BOY STILL INSIDE MY HEAD. The sparkling ingenuous voice of remembered youth sparkles, recapturing the best of childhood and strongest of memories in a startling original record certain to please young readers. The rhythm and rhyme keep the tempo steadily on high, recreating runaway frogs, black eyes, broccoli and walking barefoot with equal vividness. Accompanied by simple, yet skillfully drawn illustrations (by the author's younger brother), this marvelous lark comes highly recommended.

this book was really good it kept me intrested and wanting to find out more about what happens between the two !!! unlike some books it had me guess well whats going to happen next or what would it be like if this or that happened !! hailey abbot did a great job with this book !!

I was wandering around in a Barnes and Noble waiting for a friend so I picked up this "trashy" novel. When I got to the second chapter I went to the counter and bought it! Can you imagine!? A 56 year old woman buying "Forbidden Boy." The writing is hysterical and winning. I can't wait to pick up Hailey Abbott's other releases!

I've read every Abbott book but "Bridesmaid" and this by far is the best one ever. It's probably my favorite book ever.

I'm in my 20's, and needed to buy a book for a 13-year-old, and got this one. I was bored so decided to read it, and WOW! It really took me back to the summer when I was 17. The writing is fantastic, and this makes me want to read all of the books by this author. The 13-year-old I gave it to loved it as well, possibly as much as me!

Julianne falls for a boy she meets at a party at the beginning of the summer. He gives her his phone number, but without realizing it she drops it in the sand. Fortunately, they bump into each other again and the sparks fly.

Then she discovers he's the son of the family who has moved next door and is trying to force her family out of their beach home -- as well as destroy the beach with their monster house in the process.

Her sister declares that Remi is off limits and part of Julianne agrees. However, she sees him everyday at her great summer job. She's found the perfect guy who gets her and she's not about to let him go. So they sneak around until they get caught. How can Julianne decide between her family and the boy she loves?

Hailey Abbott writes the perfect summer novel filled with love, angst, and drama.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

This was probably one of the best Sabrina books I've read. I liked it a lot. If you can't figure out what to read, read this book!

This book is a good book,Because it's funny at times and it's a kind of book that you can just sit down and readwithout having to worry about what'sgoing to happen next!It has so much creativity in it thats why you don't have to worry.This book is about a teenage witch that is living with her two aunts,Zelda and Hilda.She is having a hard time these days especially being a teenager and a witch at the same time.it's hard for her to just get through the day without anyone figuring out that shes a witch.If i had to rate this book eith a 1to10 i would give it a 8.

A bucket on fruit punch in her head? An avalanche of Popcorn, in her locker? A cold banana pudding on her bed? A TOOTHPASTE ON A TOILET SEAT? Now that's a definite "eww!". All this happened to Sabrina the day the new exchange student from China named Mei Hua came in Westbridge. She, with her Mona Lisa smile looked like a nice shy girl but... yeah right! She has a big crush on Harvey Kinkle and she has Libby Chessler and her family as family guest in Westbridge. Doesn't mean she's mean like Libby, but she's a mischievious fox according to Grandmother Chu. Sabrina is on the pursuit to get the fox from Chinatown, New York City to the Great Wall of China. Two thumbs up great book filled with magic and laughter. Also recommend: Harvest Moon, I'll Zap Manatthan and Eight Spells A Week (Super Edition)

The best! I don't blame Sabrina for being jealous- Harvey's a HUNK!

This book is yet again another fabulous Sabrina. In this book Sabrina is hit by some bad luck and this all happened when a new exchange student comes to Westbridge. Mei seems pretty nice and she has an effect on Harvey. Sabrina knows something is up and she's going to find out!

This book is a life saver for anyone going through change and transition! I love the tools Heather lays out for each of the four elements as it has helped me to see where I am out of balance and what I need more of...am I too emotional? Perhaps I need some more Air, clear seeing, to help put things in perspective. This book is a must for anyone on the spiritual path, and I highly recommend it. Very practical with useful, powerful tools!

I have yet to get through the whole book but so far it has created alot more thoughts on getting to the "root" of habits in out lives.

This intriguing, insightful book is a straight-forward, hands-on approach to clarity and personal growth. With a new approach to the Rational Emotive school of thought, and the reader being in charge of accessing powerful tools for new directions, this is a carefully thought out, easy-reading gem!

This book is lovely, the perfect "medicine" for our hectic lives in this constantly-changing world. It has a lot of information packed in, yet is presented in a clear, straightforward manner. As I read the book, many things about my life and the way I react to change fell into place for me, and this book gave me not only new insights about myself, but also practical, positive ideas for better ways I can deal with change in my own life.

As I am on the road a lot working and managing life and health in all its forms I've found that this book is helping me to simplify my practices, I can leave my physical practical tools at home. Her words are simple, direct and beautiful intertwined with her own experience of the elements and how they are relative to the body, mind, spirit and emotions. This information has really helped me to take stock, clear up and accept things about life that were a definitive waste of energy.

Adora Benet's nickname, Fringe Girl, refers to more than just her bangs. Her place socially is decidedly on the fringe. Not the Ruling Class, but not one of the Teeming Masses. Her place as a Fringe Dweller is precarious, and she's always taken all precautions to keep it in place. When she's assigned to do an independent project in social studies on a revolution, she decides to start her own. Her goal? Completely overturn the social order at her school, and implement a new "regime." Of course she has other goals too, such as Vin Transom, the boy she's been in love with since kindegarten. But as the revolution gets going, it becomes all consuming, and soon she has succeeded! Adora has been crowned the new leader, and is revelling in her new position as Queen of the Ruling Class. But when she looks around, she realizes she's alienated all her friends, and now only has her Sarcastic Ball for advice -- and it's not much help. Adora wants to make up with her friends, but she wants to keep her spot in the pecking order, too. Is it possible to have both? Or will she have to choose, friends over worshippers? Unexpected plot twists near the end will keep you guessing on her decision. This is an incredibly real, poignant story who will ring true with anyone who has attended high school. Adora is a heroine in her own right, though it takes her a while to realize that, and you will be hoping anxiously for her to reconcile with her friends.

I've been a fan of Valerie Frankel ever since I read Smart vs. Pretty years ago. I've read all of her other chick lit books as well.

It was a nice change to know she released a teen book, because sometimes I need a break and like to read something fun. I was pleasantly surprised to see this book was more than fun. I 'adored' Dora and I'm so happy to know there will be a seqeul coming out next year. Woohoo!

With likeable characters and some screamingly funny dialogue, Fringe Girl is a very enjoyable read. Narrator Adora learns lessons about friendship, social politics, family life, and how to make out as she stages a revolution--for homework, no less--at her exclusive Brooklyn private school.

Adora Benet is sick of being on the fringe of her school's social world, so she leads a revolution, a "bloodless coup" to redistribute the powers that be. Along the way, she gets a couple of boyfriends, wins and loses friends, and discovers a few secrets among the "Ruling Class" that explains why things are the way they were in the first place. Plus, in classic Val Frankel style, this book is FUNNY, FUNNY, FUNNY, as well as smart and so 2006.

If Adora Benet had her way, the first day of junior year at the Brownstone Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights, New York, could be summed up like this: "I am hot. My heat could melt the belly of an airplane. I am only slightly less on fire than the surface of the sun." Unfortunately, as soon as Adora utters this mantra, she knows it's not true. More matchstick than burning ember, more generally pretty than outstandingly beautiful, Adora knows that she'll never be A-list quality. Sure, she has friends, and yes, she's pretty well ensconced in middle class, but she'll never be the girl who sits comfortably atop the popularity pyramid.

It doesn't help that her well-known parents, Gloria and Ed Benet, are authors of the tomes of wisdom like His-And-Her Seduction and His-And-Her Dating. Those kinds of books, and she can't even get gorgeous, track athlete Vin Transom to notice her. Not even attempting to jog across the Brooklyn Bridge had garnered her a passing glance, even though she did, admittedly, quit three blocks from home for an iced coffee. Nevertheless, Adora wants junior year to be different. Others, though, like Sondra Fortune, queen of the A-listers, most popular of populars, insists on calling Adora Fringe Girl. Sure, it started out when she had a haircut with bangs, or fringe, but it's continued because, Adora suspects, Sondra knows just how accurate the nickname is.

But now Adora has a plan. Mr. Sagebrush, her social studies teacher, has presented an interesting idea to the class. Their term project will be based on the three tenets of bloodless revolution: undermine authority, present an alternative government, and enlist the masses. Adora needs to come up with a proposal, and suddenly the idea is brought to life--why couldn't she, along with her best friends Eli and Liza, stage her own school revolution? Who said Sondra Fortune had to be the undisputed queen of the school's halls? Where was it written, anyway, that a girl on the fringe couldn't rise to queendom?

And so begins Adora's ascent--or descent--into the ups and downs of becoming an A-lister, the queen of cool, the undisputed champion of popularity. Except, as these things have a way of happening, Adora's life as an anti-fringe girl seems to have some really disappointing consequences. Will Adora ever find her place in life, somewhere in the middle of the top and bottom of the social pyramid?

What makes FRINGE GIRL such a fun, fascinating read is the true-to-life characters, the great dialogue, and the interaction between everyone involved. You won't be able to help yourself from rooting for Adora during her bloodless revolution, just as you won't be able to stop yourself from feeling her heartbreak along the way. This is definitely a read that's well worth your time!

I bought this book for both of my girls, one age 10 and the other age 12. They have had the book for over a year now. When they received the books, I thumbed through to share with them some passages that I found useful. After that, they began to read the book and use it as a reference source for those times they needed answers to and didn't want to ask ol' Mom. Often we discuss their findings and they seem confident in the knowledge that they have learned. This book is an excellent addition to any adolescent girl's parents toolbox. It has been a wonderful resource for us and has served as a foundation for many discussions.

I first ordered a copy of this for my daughter when she was 9. She didn't actually get into it until she was about 10, but I have noticed her going back to that book over and over again. She asks questions, and it has opened up the way for a lot of discussion. Everything is in it from manners to clothes to making new friends to schoolwork and bras. It's all in a neat organized manner and written so it's easily understood and followed. I bought another copy for a friend's daughter, too.

This book has so many facts about growing up about everything! I got this book and it's helped me so much! It has all of the advice I'd ever want and it can answer all of your questions! There are many stories from other girls that reasure you that you're normal, but special. If you read this book I'm guarenteing that when you finish it, you can answer anyone elses questions! Be sure to read everything becasue nothing's boring! Happy Reading!

I had wanted this book for as long as I could remember - when I got the book, all I could think was "WOW!" it goes everywhere from what to do when your body starts changing - to how to deal when a loved one or friend dies. If you are (or know of) any special Pre-teen girls in your life, this is the PERFECT reference book for them! They will find themselves referring to it over and over, and sometimes just reading it to see the comments other girls wrote in. If you like Girls' Life Magazine - you'll love The Girls' Life Guide to Growing Up!

This book just has EVERYTHING in it, and I mean everything, from friendships, to siblings, divorces, steparents, boys, dating, bras, braces, glasses, moving, and all the wacky stuff teenagers go through! It even has some really fun tests! I highly recommend it!

Since her free-spirited mother Tally's passing, Evie has given up her belief in magic and nearly all the activities she had loved to partake in with her mom, like painting and reading bedtime stories. Then another difficult change occurs when her father decides to move them from their home in Michigan to Beaumont, New York. Evie doesn't want to relocate or forget about the memories of the life she once had with her mother nearly a year before. However, her father is anxious for a fresh start.

When Evie and her father arrive in rural Beaumont, Evie can't help but feel a little uneasy about the atmosphere of the place, with its blackened, gnarled trees and seemingly perpetual quiet. Then, when picking up the keys from Maggie, the sister of previous owner Rodney, they learn that many people believe that the town is cursed because of the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Maggie and Rodney's sibling, Eve, and the fact that the once-vibrant orchard's appearance changed shortly after.

Evie's father (a "realist," as he refers to himself) dismisses the story as superstition and thinks that, with his skills, he could help bring the trees and, in effect, the town back to life. Meanwhile, to Evie's dismay, she discovers that their new home is near a cemetery, which is where she meets a boy named Alex, who claims to be a ghost. Despite her initial skepticism, Evie can't help but be intrigued by him and his determination not to be forgotten. Then for her 11th birthday, she receives an unusual gift left behind by Rodney. Along with the story behind the supposed curse and a little help, Evie begins to piece the clues together that may put the past to rest, while revealing some surprises about herself and those she cares about.

On the surface, THE GARDEN OF EVE may appear to be just a whimsical mystery, but underneath is a poignant story about keeping a hold of family, hopes and dreams, even if they don't always seem to be in reach.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle

Evie grieves for her sensitive and imaginative mother, angry that her practical father has taken her far from home to a lonely house by a cemetery. As her father tends to a blackened orchard, Evie befriends a dead boy and an elderly woman who gives her an ancient seed that brings the children to an alternate world. Evie dreams of finding her mother there, but instead discovers the love of her father.

Chapters flow from one to another with suspense that should not frighten the "average" child. My fifth grade daughter and I read this aloud and thoroughly enjoyed the fresh, natural dialogue between Evie and the strange boy, the mysterious magical happenings and the realistic relationship troubles between father and daughter. This might be a good book to read to upper elementary or middle school children dealing with the loss of a parent, or even a sibling as the boy grieves the loss of his brother, but might be disconcerting to some younger children.

The storyline is creative and although the last chapter does wrap up a little too well, we are glad that Evie finds a final, surprising connection to her mother.

I got this book to read to my kids. It's amazing even on the first page! I LOVE this book. Can't wait to get to the end. Such an easy read!!!!

Dead mothers are always a good plot device. There is nothing like the absence of a mother to create a suitable amount of angst, heartache, uncertainty, and self-doubt. Think of the Alice books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, where the first couple of books in the series are driven by the fact that pre-teen Alice is growing up without a mother, surrounded by men in her family, and suffers the nagging fear that she is not approaching the formative years of her life with due female influence. And more recently we have had the mother-less Bee from Being Bee, and Jack from The Night Tourist. Now there is Evie Adler in K.L. Going's The Garden of Eve. Her mother is ten months dead from cancer, and Evie is left with her botanist father who has never appreciated--or even understood--magic the way her mother did. He is too much of a scientist to put much stock in fairy tales, or stories in general. When he takes on the job of trying to revive a dead apple orchard in Beaumont, New York, far from their Michigan home, Evie is resentful. They move into a house right next door to a cemetery--but the only cemetery Evie cares about is the one back in Michigan, where her mother is buried. Her father devotes his time to the orchard--but all Evie can think of is the magic garden she used to plan with her mother, a perfect garden with magnificent trees and noble beasts where the three of them would always be together. When Evie is given a seed supposedly from the Garden of Eden, Evie thinks she has her chance to find that perfect garden, and consequently find her mother, too.

There is a lot going on in this book, some of it allegorical and some of it just old fashioned mystery. There is the boy Alex, whom Evie meets hanging around in the cemetery. Is he really dead, as he claims to be? Is the orchard where Evie's father toils really cursed, or has it simply been abandoned? When Evie plants her seed and enters the magical garden--by way of eating an apple, of course!--is she in Eden or is it a trap? There is another Eve who grew up in Beaumont and disappeared many, many years ago. What happened to her? And will Evie find peace after the death of her mother?

Some of the pieces in the book are tied together a little bit too neatly, but for the most part this is an engaging and thoughtful book. Evie is disillusioned without being broken. The father is pragmatically devoted to his work but all open-hearted and open-minded business when Evie needs him most. The supporting characters range from saintly (the dead mother)to utterly convincing (Alex). Readers who like their books with magic and symbolism will enjoy this.

Sometimes when bad things happen, the whole world seems shriveled and dark, as if nothing good will ever grow again. But life isn't like that. Really.

Here comes Evie, strong and brave and wise. She's searching for truth, hoping for magic, yearning for comfort. Like Lucky in The Higher Power of Lucky, Evie is trying to make sense of world made barren by the loss of her mother. Like Lucky, Evie needs someone to help answer questions a girl really needs her mother for, especially, "How do I know what is true?" But while Lucky's story stays anchored in the rather imperfect real world, Evie finds her truths through a purer magic in the very best fairy-tale tradition. A ghost-boy, some ancient mysterious seeds, a warm wind swirling over frozen soil--K.L. Going breathes her magic into these elements to bring forth a rich tale of new life after loss. Here in The Garden of Eve, the truth is magic and magic is truth. And if you can't see it with your eyes, maybe you should look "with your ears or your nose, instead."

Read this book. It is beautifully crafted and deeply satisfying. As soon as you finish it, you'll want to share it with someone you care about. As it whispers its truths, it brings comfort and warmth and hope that life can begin again, even when all seems lost.

Janet Gingold
author of Danger, Long Division and Finch Goes Wild