Where the Wild Things Are

Product Description

The 1964 Caldecott Medal Winner for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year by Maurice Sendak. Brian O'Doherty of The New York Times said the Mr. Sendak's work "disguised in fantasy, springs from his earliest self, from the vagrant child that lurks in the heart of all of us."

Amazon.com

Where the Wild Things Are is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. If you disagree, then it's been too long since you've attended a wild rumpus. Max dons his wolf suit in pursuit of some mischief and gets sent to bed without supper. Fortuitously, a forest grows in his room, allowing his wild rampage to continue unimpaired. Sendak's color illustrations (perhaps his finest) are beautiful, and each turn of the page brings the discovery of a new wonder.

The wild things--with their mismatched parts and giant eyes--manage somehow to be scary-looking without ever really being scary; at times they're downright hilarious. Sendak's defiantly run-on sentences--one of his trademarks--lend the perfect touch of stream of consciousness to the tale, which floats between the land of dreams and a child's imagination.

This Sendak classic is more fun than you've ever had in a wolf suit, and it manages to reaffirm the notion that there's no place like home.

Customer Reviews:

Still As Good.......2007-09-26

I grew up just loving this book. I think it havd more influence on my imagination than any other book.

I recently had a son and purchased this book to read with him and it is just as entertaining after all these years.

Timeless Tale Is Sheer Magic!.......2007-09-19

What child hasn't dreamed of being a wild animal, untamed and free? Of having no boundaries or restrictions?

In the magical world of a young boy's imagination, a wonderland can blossom. Sent to bed without supper for misbehaving, the unrepentant and spirited Max lets his imagination soar. His bedroom transformed into an exotic wilderness, Max sets sail across a deep blue sea to where the "wild things" are. After taming all of these fearsome monsters (turns out, he's the wildest of them all), the newly crowned "king of all wild things" leads them on quite a romp....until the lonely boy decides to return to the place where he is loved.

This journey into imagination is wonderful, whimsical and extraordinary. Small wonder that "Wild Things" was named the Caldecott Medal Winner for the Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year in 1964. Author/Illustrator Maurice Sendak has created a timeless classic - one which will always be among my personal favorites.

FUN!.......2007-09-19

Read as a child myself, who does not have this book?? If you don't-- get one! My children love it, I love it, even my husband loves it! It's fun, fun, fun! And kids LOVE to act it out quoting verbatim after reading for the 123rd time! Must have for the family library! (hang onto it even after they've grown, let them have it to read to their kids!)

Wonderful, imaginative book.......2007-09-15

This is a great children's book and is on many top lists, won numerous awards, etc. It is a wonderful, typical Sendak-style story where something scary is not so scary after all. Great for girls and boys!

Something different.......2007-09-08

I like reading this story to my little girl. She loves the unique pictures and the story line makes her giggle. It is something different than the normal fairy tale stories, which I happen to be sick of. I think it is a fun book for both me and my little girl to read.

3D Game Engine Architecture: Engineering Real-Time Applications with Wild Magic (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3D Technology)

Average customer rating:

Good software engineering book
Acceptable book with some significant failings
3d Game Engine Architecture
Best documentation for a software architecture ever written?
Finally!

3D Game Engine Architecture: Engineering Real-Time Applications with Wild Magic (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in Interactive 3D Technology)
David H. Eberly
Manufacturer: Morgan Kaufmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 012229064X

Book Description

Dave Eberly's 3D Game Engine Design was the first professional guide to the essential concepts and algorithms of real-time 3D engines and quickly became a classic of game development. Dave's new book 3D Game Engine Architecture continues the tradition with a comprehensive look at the software engineering and programming of 3D engines. This book is a complete guide to the engineering process, starting with a walk-through of the graphics pipeline showing how to construct the core elements of 3D systems, including data structures, the math system, and the object system. Dave explains how to manage data with scene graphs, how to build rendering and camera systems, and how to handle level of detail, terrain, and animation. Advanced rendering effects such as vertex and pixel shaders are also covered as well as collision detection and physics systems. The book concludes with a discussion of application design, development tools, and coding standards for the source code of the new version of the Wild Magic engine included on the CD-ROM. Wild Magic is a commercial-quality game engine used by many companies and is a unique resource for the game development community.

*CD-ROM with the complete C++ source code for Wild Magic version 3, a commercial-quality game engine for Windows, Linux, and OS X.
*A comprehensive, practical guide to all the steps necessary to build professional-quality real-time simulations with just minimal mathematics required.
*Emphasizes the application of software engineering principles and describes the architecture of large libraries.

Customer Reviews:

Good software engineering book.......2006-01-03

Well, needless to say, Eberly rocks. This is a great book on game engine architecture - even though it's less mathematically intensive than Eberly's other books (which, for many, is a good thing), it has a very good coverage of software engineering aspects of game engines, as it explains in detail how (and why) the WildMagic engine is organized. Do keep in mnid, though, that the book's purpose is not teacing how to develop games or algorithms for that - it's a software engineering book, and a good one at that.

Acceptable book with some significant failings.......2005-11-09

This is an acceptable introductory book for the architecture of an AAA-quality game engine, under the consideration that it has so little competition.

The most significant criticism I have of the book is its repeated digression of topics into a documentation of the Wild Magic engine. If you intend to use the Wild Magic engine, I highly recommend the book, but for anyone not using it, this book saves far too few pages for discussions of general engine architecture.

For example, the entire second chapter is basically a documentation of the basic types defined for the Wild Magic engine. If you are architecting a large scale project, you do not want to start the discussion with talk of a smart pointer class. Or an array class. Unfortunately, this is exactly how the book begins.

Throughout the book, the reader is constantly forced to shift through documentation for each Wild Magic class. While the author does use the engine to illustrate points, often the point is so heavily mixed with the documentation that it is tedious to pick out the general discussion.

My secondary criticism of the book is that too many words are used in specific (but uncommon) ways - making it hard to follow at times. The sad part is that the author acknowledges this for some words (which helps the reader) but fails to for others. An example of the latter is when the author concedes that he uses the word `animation' to mean any event that happens over a period of time. You will not find that definition in any dictionary, but at least he specifies his intent, which is slightly forgivable. What is not forgivable is the other phrases/words that are not acknowledged as being uncommonly used, such as `world bounds' and `local bounds'. Too often I found myself carefully following discussions not because I found the material difficult, but because I needed to extract the context for which the author is using a word or phrase. In this sense it makes it hard for anyone to simply use the book for reference purposes.

This book deserves three stars because it is a good (although sometimes short) treatment of the many subjects that are part of a 3D game engine. It loses one star for trying to combine two related, but what should be separate discussions - general engine architecture and documenting Wild Magic. It loses another for being overly verbose and dry (see my secondary criticism). It has so few competitors that you might just have to accept its failings and shift through the material to dig out the general architecture nuggets that are dispersed throughout the book.

3d Game Engine Architecture.......2005-06-03

The title says everything, this book treats most aspects concerning game engine design architecture and programming. Although not focusing in the next generation graphics architectures and shaders, it does provide an excellent basis for core engine and underlying graphics architecture design. General programming topics such as memory layout and shared object references are also discussed. A great book for begginers and a nice reading for professionals.

Best documentation for a software architecture ever written?.......2005-04-26

I don't know if this book the best documentation of a software architecture ever written, but its gotta rate up there. Probably its only rivals would be some of the foundational papers about the design of UNIX.

Why are there so few good contenders? Well, the genre of documentation for software architecture is a demanding one, because you need to master of so many skills in order to do it right. What makes it even harder is that the codebase is always changing in response to bugfixes and enhancements, which puts the documentation in continual jeopardy of drifting away from the codebase it describes.

Yes, this volume is a bit more plodding than Eberly's usual effortless writing style, but remember, he's documenting a software architecture, which is an inherently plodding task. Its ploddinghood is therefore a feature, not a bug. Moreover, he is never gratuitously plodding.

f you want to be a great documentor of software architectures, then pay close attention to the techniques Eberly uses here. Notice how, by casting the documentation in a tutorial form, he simultaniously makes it (1) a much more interesting read, and (2) makes it a dual-use document, invaluable both to newbies getting up to speed and to old pro's wanting to refresh their memory.

Budding game engine developers will find this book invaluable, but they are not the only ones who would benefit from reading it. This book could be profitably used in a general software architecture class, as an example of how to really document a software architecture.

In addition, a game engine's architecture is a superset of many other software architectures. For example, someone who is building a large-scale CAD system, or an EDA package, or an event-driven simulation package, or a physics simulation package, would also save themselves from many unanticipated "gotchas" by giving this book a close read.

Finally!.......2005-04-17

One of the criticisms I had of Dave Eberly's previous 3D Game Engine Design is that it didn't really say much about how to design an engine. Rather, it focused mostly on the programming/implementation details, which was disappointing to some. This new book is what many people expected from the older book.

In this book, the author walks through the design and architecture of a 3D game engine, using his Wild Magic engine as an example, but also drawing on his experience developing NDL's NetImmerse. Throughout, he describes why each design decision was made, and in many cases alternative solutions are discussed as well. This isn't just a high level discussion, however, as ample source code, figures, equations, and sample applications are included to get you started with implementation.

The topics covered include the core engine systems, scene graphs, renderers, cameras, LOD, animation, terrain, special effects, physics and collision detection. Numerous sample applications and tools are also included. Dave's writing style is clear and minimally conversational, and he's kept the math to a minimum, making this a remarkably easy read.

This isn't a complete treatment of a game engine, since some important topics (e.g. scripting, audio) aren't included, but the material it does cover is worth it. Whether you're currently working on a game engine, planning to start one, or just want to have a better understanding of how they work, you'll be happy with this book.

How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories

Average customer rating:

Very helpful
How to write a Children's Picture Book
A Constant Companion
Practical, Easy-to-use
A "must-have" for any aspiring children's picturebook writer

How to Write a Children's Picture Book: Learning from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Corduroy, Where the Wild Things Are, The Carrot Seed, Good Night, Gorilla, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, and Other Favorite Stories
Eve Heidi Bine-Stock
Manufacturer: E & E Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0971989885

Book Description

This volume emphasizes an aspect of children's picture books that has not yet been thoroughly investigated: structure. Both concept books and picture storybooks employ very distinctive structures that, once mastered, can be applied to any picture book you wish to write. When so many of the best picture books employ the same structures, it is important to analyze these structures, understand why they work, and learn how to incorporate them into your own writing. This volume helps you do all that. You will see that no matter how carefully you labor over the tone, word choice, plot, character, setting, theme and style of your picture book, you must have a thorough grasp of its structure if you wish your book to succeed. Indeed, you will find that an expert command of structure is the key to writing a successful children's picture book.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful.......2007-10-07

I have at least a dozen books on writing for children and I especially like this one. Not only does it focus exclusively on picture books, which few others do, it provides solid, concrete information that you can apply directly to your own writing. Too many other books offer vague tips that may be helpful in polishing an existing manuscript, but don't help with building your story from the ground up. I've been trying (sporadically) to sell picture book manuscripts for several years now, and I believe that what I've learned from this book will help get me closer to my goal of being a published author. Volumes II and III are on their way to me now and I can't wait to see what they have to offer!

How to write a Children's Picture Book.......2007-03-22

The book takes popular children's book and breaks apart the beginning, middle and ending so that you get a very clear picture of how your story should progess. An excellent resource.

A Constant Companion.......2007-01-02

Eve Heidi Bine-Stock's HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK (VOLUMES I, II and III)is a constant companion and rich resource in the planning and revision of picture books. The deconstruction of picture books, and the detailed classification of crucial characteristics - using classic picture books to illustrate each detailed point - make these books invaluable. Although I particularly use Volume I and II in the planning stage of a new manuscript, all three volumes are again by my side during each revision, and each step of each revision. There is no question in my mind that these books are the biggest resource in pushing my writing to the next level. The volumes are not read-once-and-put-aside books; they are books you will want on your writing desk for constant reference.

Practical, Easy-to-use.......2004-11-11

As an author of many books for children, I found this book to be one of the most practical and helpful tools to format a picture book during the writing process. I'm already using the techniques to structure new projects to make my picture book manuscripts shine! I plan on recommending it to my critique group as well as buying copies as gifts for my writer friends.

A "must-have" for any aspiring children's picturebook writer.......2004-06-07

How To Write A Children's Picture Book focuses especially upon structure as the key to creating a memorable and entertaining treasure for children to read, share, and learn from. Distinguishing between picturebooks and picture storybooks, and closely examining such enduring children's classics as "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Where The Wild Things Are", How To Write A Children's Picture Book is a highly useful and focused guide that dissects the nuts and bolts of writing with a keen eye toward higher achievement and quality. A "must-have" for any aspiring children's picturebook writer.

Average customer rating:

A fun and magical easy read
Wild Magic
shy girls rule
Tortall, here we come!
A Truely Wild, Magical Adventure

Wild Magic (Immortals)
Tamora Pierce
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416903437

Book Description

Thirteen-year-old DaIne has always had a knack with animals, but it's not until she's forced to leave home that she realizes it's more than a knack -- it's magic. With this wild magic, not only can Daine speak to animals, but also she can make them obey her. Daine takes a job handling horses for the Queen's Riders, where she meets the master mage Numair and becomes his student.

Under Numair's guidance, Daine explores the scope of her magic. But she begins to sense other beings too: immortals. These bloodthirsty monsters have been imprisoned in the Divine Realms for the past four hundred years, but now someone has broken the barrier. It's up to Daine and her friends to defend their world from an immortal attack.

Customer Reviews:

A fun and magical easy read.......2007-09-30

Wild Magic catches your attention from the start and never lets it go. The story is full of action and adventures. This is my first Tamora Pierce book and after the first few pages I became a fan! My advice: read the Song of the Lioness series before starting with this one. If you love knights, swords, horses and magic you must read his book.

Wild Magic.......2007-09-14

Well I have to say that this is one of the newest book series that have really caught my eye because I have to say that this is GREAT! The entire series is a very enticing read and I really didn't want to put it down. Definetly get all four and venture your way into the alanna adventures as well (I'm just getting started on them) I have to say that this is one of the best series, everything just pulls you in. I just couldn't stop reading. Literally.

shy girls rule.......2007-08-06

I don't have much to say about this book, with is unusual for me. All I really wanted to say is that I loved the main character, Daine. It's very refreshing to see a shy girl overcome that shyness to become something great. I read this book after reading City of Bones, in which the supposedly "shy" main character never once acted shy, but Daine blushes and has to force words out and feels ashamed at angry outbursts and, for a shy girl like myself, seeing that reflected in a book character was refreshing.

I also loved Numair, although I'd love to know exactly how old he is because I understand that he and Daine get together in later books and, well. Yeah.

There wasn't much else in this book that really interested me. It kind of dragged on, even though I read it in one sitting, and I don't particularly care for books about animals, which is probably why, Daine aside, I wasn't too interested in this book. I will be reading the other three books in the series, however, since I am back on my Tamora Pierce kick.

Tortall, here we come!.......2007-06-13

This is book one of the Immortals series. It follows the Song of Lioness series. Although you won't have to read this series first to understand, I recommend that you do.
This is the story of Daine. A young girl who is able to talk with animals. With her family gone and a town that has shunned her, she sets off on her own. She takes a job as an assistant in handling horses. On her journey and through her deeds, it is discovered that she has what they call "Wild Magic". A kind of magic that she will never have full control over. Through training and the love of animals (and the love the animals have for her) she becomes a hero. Something she never quite expected.
This is a wonderful book. The characters are carefully woven and you become attached to all of them. I enjoyed seeing characters from the previous Song of the Lioness books.

A Truely Wild, Magical Adventure.......2007-05-25

Martha Jo Nakashian 5/22/07

Wild Magic By: Tamora Pierce 0-679-88282-X

` Onua Chamtong meets Daine, a girl with a "knack for animals", at a fair in Cria, and hires her on for an assistant on her trip to Tortall's capital, Corus. Daine seems very open to Onua, and to Onua's friends, but does she have a secret? And is there a reason for Daine's "knack for animals"? Who is the strange badger who keeps visiting her dreams, and how does he know her? Where are all these immortal monsters coming from, and why have they been gone hundreds of years? Can this simple, Gallan, country-bred girl change the fate of Tortall, and her own life? And Daine dosen't have the Gift (human magic), but does she have magic? Daine will show them what she can really do at Pirate's Swoop! Even though this is fiction/fantasy, this book (and most of Tamora Pierce's books) take place around medevil times. Action, adventure, and some humor mixed in keeps this book interesting. Daine's whole life will change in Tortall, from bastard to mage, and all because of her strange, rare magic. This book is an excellent beginning to Tamora Pierce's Immortals series.

Warriors #1: Into the Wild (summer reading) (Warriors)

Average customer rating:

A brilliant begining!
A very Good start to a very good series
Start of a series that will last you years.
Predictable, but Fun
Pick it up and you can't put it down. You will love it. By a cat freak.

Warriors #1: Into the Wild (summer reading) (Warriors)
Erin Hunter
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0061284203
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

For generations, four Clans of wild cats have shared the forest according to the laws laid down by their warrior ancestors. But the ThunderClan cats are in grave danger, and the sinister ShadowClan grows stronger every day. Noble warriors are dying—and some deaths are more mysterious than others.

In the midst of this turmoil appears an ordinary house cat named Rusty . . . who may turn out to be the bravest warrior of them all.

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant begining!.......2007-10-10

This is an excellent begining to my absolute favorite series in the world. When I first got this book it was because I kept seeing ads for it, so I decided to get it just to keep the ads happy. I fell in love with the book, and back then I didn't know about its sequels. A couple years later I got the next five books in the series. I read them all. Now I own every book and have read the first series 3 or 4 times, the second series twice, and I am eagerly anticipating the next books to come. For people wondering "Hmmm... Should I buy this?" GET IT! It is a wonderful series and I encourage people to buy it. I won't summarize the book because I wouldn't be able to do it any credit. Besides plenty of other people have written descriptions of it. All I can say is that this book is worth the money, and that this is a book that I will cherish forever. I love this series!

P.S. - I know it says "A kid's review". Please don't pay attention to that, I'm not some 5-year old that thinks kitties are cute. And I don't think that many "kid's review" people are, so don't shoot this review down, just because of that title. I enjoy the books for what they are, not because their names are adorable and I want to hug them all because they're fluffy wittle kittens. (I would like to hug them though, and the names ROCK! They'd bite me for it though, oh well...)

A very Good start to a very good series.......2007-10-01

Any cat lover or animal lover should read this series! My favorite thing to do after school is to sit on my bed, my cat curled up next to me, and read a warriors book. This book is a great start, explaining everything and getting you set up for the rest of the series. I am currently reading the new prophecy book #2, Moonrise. If you are just starting the series, here's something you should know: you have to read the books in order! And DON'T read the backs or the character lists of books ahead of you! I made the mistake of looking at the character list of the new prophecy book #4 (Starlight?) when I was reading book #4 of the regular Series, Rising Storm, and saw something that you will find out in the 6th book, Darkest Hour. This is a very good start to a very good series!

Start of a series that will last you years........2007-08-31

This book takes the view of a cat, Rusty, as he is accepted into ThunderClan, a group of warrior cats. Two villans, one on the outside, one traitor in the clan. Suspenseful, shocking, and action are all over this book. Not only does it end with Firepaw (formerly Rusty, now a warrior apprentice) becoming a full warrior, it leaves you hanging with the dangerous deputy, Tigerclaw, watching intendly on young Fireheart and the evil Brokenstar banished, but plotting. It leaves you itching for the future books, and starts a series that will make you read nonstop.

Predictable, but Fun.......2007-08-28

If you picked up this book and read the summary and are expecting animals with magical powers, then look away. While `Warriors' are about wild cats living in clans, the names of the clans do not mean cats are water masters or wind mages. They are wild cats who live in clans, and that's about it. Nothing much special.

Rusty, a typical house pet, or `Kittypet', dreams about hunting and eating mice (a la Tag from `The Wild Road', etc), while Smudge, his cat friend, will eventually be neutered and spend his time lazing around (a common neuter myth). Rusty eventually walks into one of the Clan's Territory, Thunderclan, and runs into Graypaw. Soon enough, the two become friends and Rusty is sent to the leader of Thunderclan, Bluestar, who admits Rusty into the group due to the fact that the clan needed more warriors, and Rusty is now Firepaw. Him being at a clan with cats who despise Kittypets, Firepaw meets many challenges, especially when something sinister lurks in ambitious Tigerclaw. And the obvious-dark-clan-of-the-forest Shadowclan.

This book, while very, very predictable (no joke, a child will have this book figured out), was very interesting to read, and actually grips you to the end, even though Firepaw was a sugary sweet hero who seems to know what is going on while the others don't. Flaws, while small, affect the series as a whole. For one,

(-) Bluestar needs more warriors for her clan, yet is fine with the fact that only one cat joined her clan. Why not send scouts to recruit more Kittypets?

(-) The `Fire alone can save our clan' bit is obvious. We all know what this is referring to.

(-) The obvious characters who will nonetheless be bad (Longtail's dark pelt, Tigerclaw's dark pelt, Darkstripe's dark pelt and dark name; not to mention Shadowclan).

(-) The big one: inbreeding. If the clans were really big, that would be understandable, but these are wild cats...well, wild cats with human qualities and no, no wild cat will bunch up in a group like this, but this is a book. Even so, I notice that if you have such a little group of cats together like this, it won't be long until there would be some inbreeding going on, so isn't it kinda obvious that you need cats from different clans, and Kittypets, too, to prevent something like this happening?

These flaws aside, I'm sure `Warriors' will suit your needs, even though it's a predictable book. I liked it, nonetheless.

Pick it up and you can't put it down. You will love it. By a cat freak........2007-08-23

I won't say anything about the story (there are enough reviews already) except that it's about a kittypet (house cat) named Rusty that feels attracted to the wild forest. He eventually joins ThunderClan, one of 4 Clans, and becomes the apprentice Firepaw. Each book has its own great plot, and one big mystery that continues to fold out throughout the whole series. It's full of suspense, intrigue, mystery, action, friendship, grief, happiness, death, excitement (about... um... A LOT)... and of course cats! Each new book is better than the last. I have all of them except the New Prophecy (a runner-up series) #6 Sunset and the Power of Three (3rd runner-up) The Sight. Read them all. You'll be hooked. Then, after reading Warriors and at least some of The New Prophecy get Warriors Field Guide (contains spoilers!) and when you've finished Dawn (TNP #3) read the manga (The Lost Warrior). You'll become a HUGE fan. Oh, and a warning: if you buy a set or something with the first four, DO NOT, by any circumstances, read the fourth one without having the fifth one close by (I won't say why). MAKE SURE you have it ready. Oh and yes, I feel horrible that there's only 5 stars. This one should have, like, a bazillion. BUY ALL OF THEM! Warriors 4ever!

Waiting for Birdy: A Year of Frantic Tedium, Neurotic Angst, and the Wild Magic of Growing a Family

Average customer rating:

A needed dose of perspective and humor
Read this book like you eat a bar of Valrhona chocolate
Made me a better mom
If you don't like this book, you simply have no soul
Definitely a Top 5

Waiting for Birdy: A Year of Frantic Tedium, Neurotic Angst, and the Wild Magic of Growing a Family
Catherine Newman
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0143034774

Book Description

To fifty thousand readers, Catherine Newman is the beloved author of “Bringing Up Ben & Birdy,” a weekly column on babycenter.com. Now in the delightfully candid, outlandishly funny Waiting for Birdy, Newman charts the year she anticipated the birth of her second child while also coping with the realities of raising a toddler. As she navigates life with her existentially curious and heartbreakingly sweet three-year-old, and her doozy of a pregnancy, she lends her irresistibly unique voice to the secret thoughts and fears of parents everywhere. Filled with quirky warmth and razor-sharp wit, Waiting for Birdy captures the universal wonder, terror, humor, and tenderness of raising a family.

Customer Reviews:

A needed dose of perspective and humor.......2007-10-10

Waiting for Birdy has become one of my favorite books, and one I always pass along to new and expecting moms of second children. Her self-deprecating humor, love for her family and friends, and constant work to seek balance in her life are funny and life-affirming. Sometimes we feel like we are all alone when we have ambivalent or conflicting feelings about motherhood--Catherine feels like a warm, witty, wacky friend that shares those feelings with you.

Read this book like you eat a bar of Valrhona chocolate.......2007-10-05

Read this book like you eat a bar of Valrhona chocolate . . . a tiny bit a day, so you can savor the complex flavors of each bit more fully -- and make it last longer.

This book has humor and insight, but more than that, it reminds me of what is really important about parenting; reminds me to be mindful of the wonderfulness of it all, and not to let the worries and frustrations of the immediacy of parenting obscure the deep love and joy (and humor) of the body- and soul-changing job of being a parent. Like Catherine's columns, nearly every section in this book makes me laugh *and* cry and need to go kiss my little boy one more time before I go to sleep. One warning: it's tough to read if you're expecting; I'm not kidding about laughing AND crying, when you're already all hormonal and your husband already thinks you're crazy . . . (just make him read it too; he'll see!)

Made me a better mom.......2007-10-01

I was inspired to add to the many five star reviews when I read one that said, "This book won't make you a better parent, but it might help you to relax about being the parent you are." While I am sure this was intended to be a positive comment, I have to respectful disagree.

Reading Catherine's book and columns for years HAS made me a better parent. Specifically, she has a way of describing slowing down and paying attention to kids that really affected me. If my son wants to play Candyland, but by his own set of made up rules, why not? If he, well after the age that "the experts" think he should be independent, wants me to lay down with him for a few minutes while he falls asleep, I soak it up, because I know that the days that he will ask for me to cuddle are so limited.

Like Catherine, I do not advocate spoiling children, but I think that we need to pick our battles, say yes as much as possible, and ask ourselves if we are saying no for a good reason or just because OUR parents did not let us build forts with the living room couch cushions. Why not let them make the fort (better yet make it with them) and then teach them to clean up after themselves?

I love her book and her columns. She has made me a better, more patient, more creative, and more thoughtful parent.

If you don't like this book, you simply have no soul.......2007-09-29

This book is so great and funny, true-to-life and wonderfully written. No, it is not a directory on how to prepare your life for a second child, it is one woman gracefully sharing with us how she prepared her heart for her second child, and has helped SOOOOO many women know they are not alone in feeling scared, neurotic, weird, overcome with love, ready to pull their hair out, etc. I think it's very sad if you are unable to relate to the wonderful dance of parenting chronichled in "Waiting for Birdy."

Definitely a Top 5.......2007-09-28

I love this book! I loved Catherine's Babycenter columns, and was so delighted when there was so much laughter, honesty, and hysterical "I can totally relate to that" stories inside one book. We refer to Ben and Birdy in our house as if they live next door! Catherine keeps me sane by reminding me what's really important about motherhood.

As for the negative comments of a couple of readers--I feel sorry for people who don't get this kind of humor. Neurotic comes with the package when you give birth, and I always appreciate anyone who can admit it. Too many mamas spend too much energy trying to pretend that "everything is fine, life is perfect" when it feels much better just to embrace the craziness!

Christmas Kisses: Mackenzie's Magic/ Silver Bells/ A Wild West Christmas

Average customer rating:

I'd hoped for better
SERIES ADDITIONS -- ALL THREE
Satisfying
Ilike the books on the Mckinzies, I would like more of them.
I highly recommend each story in this book.

Christmas Kisses: Mackenzie's Magic/ Silver Bells/ A Wild West Christmas
Linda Howard , Debbie MacOmber , and Linda Turner
Manufacturer: Silhouette
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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$Mackenzies' Honor: Mackenzie's Pleasure\A Game Of Chance (Mira Romance)$ Mackenzies' Honor: Mackenzie's Pleasure\A Game Of Chance (Mira Romance)
$Mackenzie's Legacy: Mackenzie's Mountain\Mackenzie's Mission$ Mackenzie's Legacy: Mackenzie's Mountain\Mackenzie's Mission
Mackenzie'S Pleasure (Silhouette Intimate Moments, No 691)
Midnight Rainbow
Diamond Bay

ASIN: 0373483287

Customer Reviews:

I'd hoped for better.......2005-11-26

Book description:

"Mackenzie's Magic" by New York Times Bestselling author Linda Howard
Just in time for the holidays: author Linda Howard's beloved Mackenzies. Meet Maris Mackenzie--and the sexy stranger she woke up to find in her bed! Unfortunately, she had no memory of Alex MacNeil, the previous day...or the prize Thoroughbred she'd apparently stolen...

"Silver Bells" by bestselling writer Debbie Macomber
Celebrate the magic of Christmas with the Manning family.
It wasn't easy for Philip Lark to single-handedly raise his rambunctious teenage daughter. But the girl had hatched a plot to fin her father a wife, and lovely Carrie Weston fit the bill. Philip claimed he wasn't interested in remarriage, but would the magic of the holiday season--and Carrie's wonderful charms--help him change his mind?

"A Wild West Christmas" by Linda Turner
Years ago, Priscilla Rawlings gave Wyatt Chandler her innocence. He repaid her by running out on her. Now he'd come back to the Rawlings ranch for Christmas, and Priscilla had to face the one man who had broken her heart...but whom she had never stopped loving.

And my review:

I knew when I purchased this book that the stories were part of a series each author had written. I hadn't read any of the other books in any of the series, but I didn't let that deter me. Most authors who've produced series have managed to make each book capable of standing on its own. And after all, this was a Christmas romance anthology, and those are my not-so-secret passion. But I'm afraid I was dissapointed by this book.

I wasn't expecting much from Linda Howard's novella, as I have not been impressed by her work in the past. My instincts were correct. Right off the bat, this was a falling-in-lust story (which I've never liked) rather than a falling-in-love story. I have nothing wrong with sexual attraction between characters (in fact, it's necessary for a good romance) but it needs to be handled well. I need to see more motivation for a couple to be together than just wanting to jump each other's bones. The amnesia plot wasn't as well done as I've read in other books. One star.

I had much higher hopes for Debbie Macomber's story. While not very many of her books make it onto my keeper shelf, her stories are usually cute, heartwarming, and sensual without being too explicit - worth it for a one-time read. But this one felt much too rushed. The author touched on the characters without really fleshing them out. I couldn't really see why Carrie should be attracted to Philip, nor why, apart from the fact that she would make a great stepmother, he would want her. I found myself getting bored by the end and had to force myself to finish the story. Two stars. (If you want really good Christmas romance by this author, check out her "Angel" books, including 'Shirley, Goodness and Mercy', 'The Trouble With Angels', 'Touched by Angels', 'Season of Angels' and 'Those Christmas Angels', available at Amazon.com)

Linda Turner's main characters were just not likeable. Priscilla was a sour harpy, and Wyatt was a conceited jerk. The way he spurned her when she was a teenager was utterly unforgivable, yet he justifies it by saying that he did it for her own good. As if taking a barely-at-the-age-of-consent's virginity and then setting it up so that she finds you in the arms of another woman is anything other than reprehensible. I tried to push past this, but the book descended into a silly contrived scene where Priscilla tries to prove that he means nothing to her by kissing him, which of course backfires. Oh brother. I started rolling my eyes at this point. And Wyatt was so full of himself that I wanted to push him into a pile of horse manure. I couldn't even finish this one. One star.

I hate to give such a negative review, but this book just wasn't up to par. I would not recommend buying this book, unless you happen to be a hardcore fan of these authors, and/or want to complete the series collections that these novellas belong to. While any of these stories could stand on its own, (I wasn't confused, even though I didn't read any of the other books in any of the series) I didn't think they were good enough to justify the price of the book.

SERIES ADDITIONS -- ALL THREE.......2003-09-21

The story of Maris Mackenzie should have been full length but the story was excellent in itself [if too short].
Meeting up with the FBI special agent Alex MacNeil and tumbling in love with him in the process of trying to catch horse killers was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes of setting up the sting and the complications.

But most enjoyable of all, of course, was going back to Mackenzie's Mountain and rejoining Wolf and Mary's family.

Note that this is the 4th story in the Mackenzie series with Chance's story following to complete the series.

Also be aware that Debbie Macomber's story is a follow-up of the Manning family series.
And Linda Turner's story is a follow-up to the Wild West series of the Rawlings family - Love these add ons. Just too short.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ALL especially for family catch-ups.

Satisfying.......2003-07-17

For once, I like all of the authors who contributed to this book. I got it because I wanted to read about Maris McKenzie. It was very satisfying to me. I love the McKenzie family.

Debbie Macomber and Linda Howard also contributed a good story each. The only reason I give this book 4 stars is the stories were too short. I prefer these authors in longer formats.

Ilike the books on the Mckinzies, I would like more of them........1998-04-21

The kook on the McKinzies mountain and the mission were just Great ,I also like where they always got the family togeather, it shows much love for each one even Chance, I would like one where Chance finds some one and gets married,

I highly recommend each story in this book........1998-04-16

I especially enjoyed Linda Howard's continuation of the Mackenzie family. Maris' story includes all of the elements that make a Linda Howard book so difficlut to put down. The hero was a surprise. A must for this author's fans. Debbie Macomber's "Silver Bells" was one of her better stories and a true pleasure to read. Then Linda Turner added her story to make this one of the best holiday books published for Christmas.

Average customer rating:

Not as good as 1st in series but better than many of TV series episodes
New Review!
WILD
The Wild One
The Wild One

The Wild One (Roswell High No. 2)
Melinda Metz
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671774654

Book Description

Dangerous love...

Isabel: From the moment she hears the roar of Nikolas' motorcycle, she's hooked. This new guy in town seems to understand exactly how she feels and thinks, exactly what she needs. He's someone willing to let her be what she was born to be...the wild one.

Alex: He's jealous of Isabel's new boyfriend. Worse, he fears that Nikolas is dragging Isabel deeper and deeper into danger. If Isabel's not careful, Sheriff Valenti will discover the truth about her. And if that happens, no one from Earth will be able to save her....

Download Description

Dangerous love... Isabel: From the moment she hears the roar of Nikolas' motorcycle, she's hooked. This new guy in town seems to understand exactly how she feels and thinks, exactly what she needs. He's someone willing to let her be what she was born to be...the wild one. Alex: He's jealous of Isabel's new boyfriend. Worse, he fears that Nikolas is dragging Isabel deeper and deeper into danger. If Isabel's not careful, Sheriff Valenti will discover the truth about her. And if that happens, no one from Earth will be able to save her....

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as 1st in series but better than many of TV series episodes.......2006-03-17

Set about a month after the events in Roswell High #1, "The Wild One" is about a mysterious new boy in town named Nikolas and the wild effect he seems to have on Isabel. While the TV series wasn't based on this book there is a similarity in that the gang gradually learns that there were four alien children that survived the 1947 crash, Nikolas is the fourth alien in this case and he doesn't like humans.
I liked the first book better than this one, especially during the last part of the story (which is better than some of the TV episodes were). I think lots of hints are dropped about further stories in the series, the book seems a little bit choppy, fast paced.

New Review!.......2004-07-29

I like this item B000085U1I very much You should read more reviews to find out more about it

WILD.......2002-04-04

I realy liked this, its only my second "Roswell High" book so I dont have much to compare it to but I enjoyed it a lot. Its mostly about Isabel, but sets the other charecters up for storylines in future books. It has you turning the pages until the very end wondering when Isabel is going to see sense and whats going to happen to her boyfriend. Their wild adventures are also somewhat page turning. The only downside of this book is that it seems to end in the middle introducing new plot lines and not explaining what happens. That comes in the next book, which I'm looking forward to becasue this one was so good, and I want to know what happens!

The Wild One.......2002-02-28

The whole Roswell series is teriffic. I loved this book and could not put it down. I thought the T.V. show was gret but the books are too!

The Wild One.......2001-05-30

Roswell is the best sci-fi/drama tv show ever! It's based on the Roswell High series and both the show and the books are incredibly fasinating!

The Twelve Wild Swans: A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing, and Action

Average customer rating:

A fantastic journey through the recesses of your mind...
Sorry
A serious book review
Deepening Self-Wisdom-for Men too....
Beyond 101

The Twelve Wild Swans: A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing, and Action
Starhawk
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Wicca | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0062516698
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Amazon.com

Starhawk and Hilary Valentine, renowned leaders in the Wicca movement, use the transformative fairy tale of The Twelve Wild Swans to teach an advanced class on magic. More significantly, this is an introduction to a mature level of Wicca called "reclaiming," a model of witchcraft that blends magic, personal growth, and activism. The book begins with the first chapter of the fairy tale, in which a foolish queen wishes to exchange her 12 sons for a daughter. An old woman "dressed all in black" overhears the queen and makes the wish come true, granting the queen a daughter but turning her sons into wild swans.

From here the coauthors launch into a back-and-forth structure of telling the story and then stopping to show how it applies to a witch's initiation and transformation. For example, we all must leave the castle in order to heal our past. We all must spend some time wandering in the wilderness before finding our true home, and we all must conquer some form of "wicked vows" before we can reach full maturity. These are wise leaders and strong guides, well worth following on this life-altering fairy tale. --Tara West

Book Description

The long-awaited continuation of the bestselling classic The Spiral Dance

Customer Reviews:

A fantastic journey through the recesses of your mind..........2007-04-01

This book is sometimes painful, often challenging, and occasionally glorious.

My Reclaiming community based an elements course around this book, and we based each class on the exploration of an element, as outlined in 12 Wild Swans. Starhawk artfully guides the reader through Self, gently unearthing those secret desires and wicked vows we make to ourselves. The book explains each step of the somewhat well known fairy tale as a step we, like Rose, can take. Her activities provided are thoughtful and introspective, and the stories, while occasionally quite activist, appropriate to the material and empathy inducing.

Perhaps it was the timing, but this book stimulated a great deal of introspection and change in me. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to dive headfirst into the recesses of their mind, and figure out what exactly mucks about back there.

Enjoy!

Sorry.......2005-12-14

If you're looking for a metaphysical interpretation of a fairy tale, go straight to Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Estes or Iron John by Robert Bly. Both will leave you with the feeling that you have been respected as a reader, that you have come closer to understanding yourself, and that a folk tale can contain great truths. On the other hand this book by Starhawk was, for me, almost impossible to read at all. Her witchier-than-thou attitude put together with her total self-righteousness, boring hateful feminism, and relentless telling and retelling and retelling of one thin little story is just awful. Sorry I can't agree with the other reviewers.

A serious book review.......2005-10-26

I like to start this review with a quote from Scott Cunningham's book Living Wicca, " Books can lift spirits, heal our wounds, steel our courage and strengthen our religious resolve.... Books are a great source of wisdom... Books aren't foolproof. Some books contain virtually no accurate information. Many readers are apt to believe anything in print. 'After all they say 'its in this book right here. That proves it's true.' Unfortunately, nearly anyone can write a book and even have it publish. Does this ensure that its contents are true?... Listen to your intuition. In other words feel free to pick and choose among the published... textbooks to decide what feels right... Books are tools to be used mark them with pencil or bookmarks". I like this quote because I have read several Books from which even though most I have found very helpful or that had some helpful information from time to time I have read a book and found that I disagree with the writer. However there are times that despite this I have found some tiny bits of good info. This book is one of those books. I came across this book when looking for A spiral dance which had been recommended to me for my daughter. 12 wild swans popped up on amazon's suggested reading. Though I haven't read a Spiral Dance I went a head and grabbed 12 wild swans since it had such good reviews, for me to read.
This book has a lot of info that I disagree with, info that I found great and helpful. There were times I was very disappointed as I felt her motivations as an activist sometimes were to strong and disrupted the flow of the book.
The Book's has good info like that on "a wicked vow", how to deal with anger, both within and directed at you. Also finding your shadow self.
However her opinions on dreams I strongly disagree with as a Dream interpreter and reader. Furthermore she makes a statement about no "real witch" uses certain terms, such as unconscience, which she claims Freud used yet there is NO definition for this in the dictionary and what she defines is the sub-conscience which is the term I think she meant. Since I do use Sub-conscience is she saying I am not a real witch or Wiccan? Perhaps she should have said no one in her tradition uses it and why. I have no problem using sub-conscience and conscience and in my opinion to say they do not exist is like saying that frontal vision and peripheral vision doesn't exist, as it is my opinion that the sub-conscience is for our mind like the peripheral vision.
She goes from giving advice that is logical and sensible in the section on nettles to writing about things in a way that is not factual.
She writes Why as witches we must sometimes endure the sting and it begins very well. Her info on plant allies and our ancestors and their knowledge of plants is excellent and very factual.

Getting to know your plant allies is thoroughly enjoyable. Her view on respecting all living things was beautifully written and then she makes a false statement. In her attempt to use an example how we must endure pain she lists Yoga. Continuing her false statement by saying we have to endure bumps, bruises and discomfort. WHAT?!?! This is NOT yoga. We do not teach bruising the body or "Bruising egos" but loving the body and letting go of the ego. One problem with those new to yoga is they have been programmed with the no pain no gain and this is not yoga. Pain and discomfort is not yoga. On the contrary we are taught to listen to the body and avoid pain and discomfort. For her to use yoga and list it in the way she did showed her ignorance about yoga. It also lost the point she was trying to make. If you are interested in yoga or wish to verify this fact I suggest finding books or classes with a certified Yogi.
Her section on Silence takes another view than is in Scot Cullingham's book Living Wicca and is a good read for comparing views on silence. Some of the suggested meditations and rituals are very good and can be used for uses other than magic and rituals. For those who are a nervous type or talk-a-tive this could be a meditation that would interest you. The section on empowerment is very interesting as is the section on "The privilege". A quote from the book, "the behavior or pattern that may have served us well when we were powerless can become destructive and abusive when we gain power". It was a very good way of describing how a victim can become the abuser. The sections and exercises on working on core worth to levitate deflation/inflation of the self were also very good. As a reiki healer if I become inflated and forget I am only the vessel and the healing power doesn't come from me then I block the flow of healing energy with my ego. So finding ones center or "core worth" are great meditations and rituals. This section is very interesting, as well as the sections on shielding, glamour, character work, aspecting and gathering allies. When she writes about the Sabbaths she wrote them in a way that is poetic, colorful and easy to vision. It was a great read. When she begins to speak of fear esp. the fear of death it hit a personal chord. As I fear death and found her trance the orchard of immortally EXCELLENT! The book is worth buying for this alone in my opinion despite its other flaws. In the last chapter of the outer path she breaks the flow of the book again with returning to her activist motives.
Most of the book's exercises are written for a group or at least a pair and not for a solitary witch. To work with these rituals, meditations and exercises one may have to adjust them for the solitaire. For those who are activists and involved in political protests and so forth the book is good, however for those who lead a more humble life her activist views, and constant use of hers and others experiences as activist could possibly spoil the book for you. If you can get around it and pass over the few flaws then you may also find some helpful information.
However I think the quote from Mr Cunningham is well said and applies here. Underline what is good and pass the rest.

Deepening Self-Wisdom-for Men too...........2004-06-13

This book tells a story- as in many of starhawks books, and it relates to how our lives are magickal an not. It helps us see what life is all about, who we are deep inside-by teaching through excersizes and story telling. Every book starhawk has written i have never even considered it feminist at all, she never writes in way where the sexes are seperated-they are one they way i see her view the sexes. I am a man, and have read many works by starhawk, and people wave the feminist word around to much, her books have definatley nothing to do with gender at all!. She writes books to open the soul and mind-always through story and mental/ritual excersizes. She has a definate writing style which many enjoy, as do i. Great read-any of her books!!!

Beyond 101.......2004-03-02

This book is for a mature Wiccan. It is a fantastic spiritual guide for deepening your spiritual life and growing as a human being.

Magic School Bus Science Chapter Books Boxed Set (8):Truth About Bats, Search for the Missing Bones, Wild Whale Watch, Space Explorers, Twister Trouble, Giant Germ, Great Shark Escape, Penguin Puzzle

Average customer rating:

Magic School Bus Science Chapter Books Boxed Set (8):Truth About Bats, Search for the Missing Bones, Wild Whale Watch, Space Explorers, Twister Trouble, Giant Germ, Great Shark Escape, Penguin Puzzle
Joanna Cole , Eva Moore , Ann Schreiber , Anne Capeci , Jennifer Johnston , and Judith Bauer Stamper
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 043962374X

Product Description

Includes Science Chapter Books 1-8. Penguin Puzzle, The Great Shark Escape, The Giant Germ, Twister Trouble, Space Explorers, The Wild Whale Watch, The Search for the Missing Bones and The Truth about Bats.

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