Junebug

Book Description

Reeve McLain, Jr.--Junebug--has a big dream that keeps him going. He dreams that someday he and his younger sister and mother will move from the awful housing project where drugs, gangs, and guns are part of everyday life. Junebug's tenth birthday is coming up, and he knows the gangs and drug dealers will be after him to join them. But he has a big birthday plan to keep his hope alive. He's going to launch his glass-bottle collection filled with notes of his dreams and wishes. Maybe some way, somehow, Junebug's dream will come true.

Customer Reviews:

how I feel about the junebug book.......2007-09-28

It was a awesome story.Very interesting on how junebug aunt jolita turned on junebug mom.How junebug one wish come true.

My opinon for Junebug story.......2007-09-28

It was very cool but having to live in the ghetto is probley hard with your little sister , your mom and your aunt expecilly that your aunt is bringing problems to your family.

June Bug.......2007-09-28

This book is about a boy name junebug. June bug live on a dirty block and a nasty apartment.And june bug live with his mom,sister,and aunt.June bug have a wish that he had a sail boat so.June bug had a friend named darnell but darnell had to move because he was infovle with drugs and people who was in trouble.

Life in the Projects for JuneBug.......2007-09-28

The projects is were Reeve Mclain lives aka Junebug. He is a young man who collects bottles. He lives with his mom ,sister and aunt. There is a lot of gangbangers where he live. He only has one true friend named Darnell but, com to find out Darnell has to get out of town because, he is in trouble. Junebug's mom got pushed down the staires by a pimp that his aunt Jplitia lit in. So that is all for now if you want to find out the rest you should the book JuneBug.

JUNEBUGS life.......2007-09-28

This book is called junebug. Junebug wants to be sailer. he lives with mom, his sister tasho, and his aunt Jolita. Jolita does not do anything around the house. At the end Junebug his mom, and his sister. I like this book because it is fun to read.

Average customer rating:

Thank You Anne, Thank You Very Much
This Book Boogies!
Sad to see the end!
Murder Boogies with Elvis
Truly entertaining

Murder Boogies with Elvis
Anne George
Manufacturer: HarperCollinsPublishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060198702
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Book Description

The Southland's most mismatched set of siblings -- flamboyant Mary Alice and prim and proper Patricia Anne -- are back and ready to boogie in a King-sized story of hip-shaking mayhem and murder most tacky.

At an age when most women are slowing down, oversized, over-the-top Mary Alice a.k.a. "Sister" -- is always on the lookout for the next good time...and the next husband. Now Sheriff Virgil Stuckey is in line to become Sister's Mister Number Four, which has practical Patricia Anne's level head filling to the brim with a million and one prewedding details. But first there is another important occasion the sisters are looking forward to attending: a gala benefit to raise money for restoring one of Birmingham's unnatural wonders, a towering metal monument to the god Vulcan lately fallen into disrepair.

The grand finale is thirty sequined Elvis impersonators high kicking in unison. Enjoying the show from the front row, Patricia Anne and Mary Alice are in the line of fire when one of the dancing Kings keels over dead right into the bandstand. It seems this Elvis clone, one Griffin Mooncloth, has not only left the building ... he's left this life!

At first the sisters figure that the cause of death was a massive heart attack induced by one too many pelvic gyrations. But the unfortunate Mooncloth's very dramatic demise is soon discovered to be the result of a switchblade knife plunged into his back. The plot thickens when the murder weapon is discovered in Patricia Anne's very sensible purse. The perennially law-abiding "Mouse" is understandably all shook up -- and mortified to find herself the prime suspect in this bizarre case of Elvis elimination. And with Mary Alice's well-coiffed head in a sunflower-yellow-and-magenta cloud over her impending nuptials, Patricia Anne's the one who will have to get herself out of very hot water indeed.

Customer Reviews:

Thank You Anne, Thank You Very Much.......2007-09-04

A running gag throughout this series involves the giant statue of Vulcan that looms over Birmingham and literally moons half of the town. Well it seems that someone put a hole in Vulcan's head and he of the massive moon is in need of repair so the people of Birmingham come to his aid. Among other things they hold a fund-raiser at the Alabama theater that features several acts including a chorus line of dancing Elvis's; or is that Elvi? Anyway, before the night is over one Elvis is sent off toward hound dog Heaven to the strains of Jailhouse Rock. Naturally sisters Mary Alice (Sister) and Patricia Anne (Mouse) are sitting right there in the front row.

Since Mouse's retirement after many years of teaching school the sisters have just been up to their necks in dead bodies but this is the first dead Elvis that they have come across. Try as they might to not get involved they just can't help themselves, especially once the murder weapon shows up in Mouse's purse. All the while Mouse is planning for a new grandchild, Sister is planning her fourth wedding, Sister's eldest daughter is being pursued by an amorous Cajun, Bubba Cat continues to sleep, another Elvis is attacked and the whole crew continue to eat more than any group of fictional characters that I have ever come across. This author's gift for descriptive prose is nowhere better showcased than with her descriptions of all of that delicious food that is constantly showing up in this series. This is not a series of books to read while on a diet for you can just smell the homemade vegetable soup, the cornbread and the sweet rolls.

As with most of the books in this series the sisters stumble and bumble along and get themselves in deep trouble but in the end they do get their man (or woman?) whether they intended to or not. Also as usual the dialogue in this book is priceless especially the dialogue between the two southern sisters. They remind me for all the world of a pair of my elderly aunts who used to sit on the couch and argue for hours on end.

Sadly this is the last entry in this oh so lovable series due to the death of author Anne George. I put off reading this book for a long time after I finished the previous entry in this series because I knew that finishing this book would make me very sad. This author writes in such a way that you really come to feel like you know and are interacting with her characters and facing the end of the series was like having to pack up and move away from some very dear friends. I already miss this boisterous bunch and I deeply mourn the loss of Anne George. I never had the privilege of meeting her but since she based Mouse on herself I sure feel like we were old friends.

This Book Boogies!.......2007-06-27

As a diehard Elvis fan, I was intrigued by the title of this book one day while browsing books on Amazon. I put it on my wish list and finally purchased it for myself. It is my first time reading Anne George and the Southern Sisters Mysteries but I hope it will not be my last! The characters are awesome. Growing up in the South, I can relate to every one of them. Some of the things they say I can remember hearing my grandmother, my mom or one of my aunts saying. There is much humor along with the mystery, which is my favorite thing in books. I truly enjoyed it and am adding more Anne George books to my wish list.

Sad to see the end!.......2007-06-25

It's too bad that Ann George was taken from us so soon. She wrote this book just before she passed away in 2001. Even though she didn't know that it would be her last book, it actually was a fitting end to the Southern Sisters series. We have all the wonderful people there, and our two southern sisters that I have fallen in love with as I've been reading the books. There are 30 Elvis impersonators, a dead body, a missing girl, and anything else that you could want. Even a wedding at the end. I recommend this series highly to cozy lovers. It's the best, and I am going to miss Patricia Ann and Mary Alice very much. I'll miss Woofer and Muffin too.

Murder Boogies with Elvis.......2006-03-13

Anne George was such a great mystery/humor writer. I first listened to all her books several years ago. I loved the Sisters, I can picture them in my mind...large-boned and tall Mary Alice, and tiny Patricia Ann. Their relationship was always one of love, and hilarity. My friend and I, who listened to all 8 books with me, were so caught up in what would happen to Mary Alice and the latest man she married, and Patricia Ann's daughter and her pregnancy, that we were shocked, dismayed and saddened by the death of the author. I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys reading a "who-done-it", jazzed with humor. You will want to read all the books...like a potato chip commercial, you can't read just one! Try it...you'll like it.

Truly entertaining.......2006-01-23

If you are looking for an entertaining and fun filled mystery, look no further than Anne George. Her characters are so well developed that you feel as if you know them regardless of which of her mysteries you read. This book is special because it was her last, and because the plot is perhaps a tad more intricate than in her previous books. A fine read anytime, anywhere, Ms. George was truly one of the best female mystery writers.

Average customer rating:

Tedious at best
Three Against the Dark
I am having trouble reading through this!
Not her best, or even close
Still has flashes of Norton's great talent

Three Hands for Scorpio
Andre Norton
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0765304643
Release Date: 2005-03-31

Book Description

Andre Norton, the celebrated author of Witch World and many other fantasy adventures, offers a new novel unique among her works, set in a realm not dissimilar to northern England in the sixteenth century: also, the Dismals of Northern Alabama are the model for part of the exotic setting. Drucilla, Sabina, and Tamara, identical sisters born to Desmond, Earl of Skorpys, understand the price of being princesses in a realm bordered by fractious neighbors. For generations their land has been plagued by incursions, raiding parties, and more serious conflicts with Gurlyon, the land to their North. But when these three plucky young ladies are kidnapped as part of a plot to undermine their father's domain, they are taken to a mysterious realm where they experience terrors unlike anything they could imagine.Their captors, fearing pursuit, thrust the princesses into a deep recess in a bizarre underworld called the Dismals. Once there, they must fend off hideous creatures, and a young man who claims to be lord of this dark, forbidding realm. Not sure whether he is friend or foe, they must depend on their wits, on each other, and on the mind-link that binds them together. Only thus can they escape the bizarre nether-realm they must roam in search of a way home.Their travails test them in ways they cannot foresee, both physically and magically. Powerful forces work against them, but together they may yet escape, and help right the wrong that brought them to the strange realm in the first place.

Customer Reviews:

Tedious at best.......2007-09-20

If you enjoy reading everything from the viewpoint of three people, this book is for you. Otherwise, you might find it, as I did, very tedious. Also, these 3 girls should have stayed home. The author has done better.

Three Against the Dark.......2006-09-23

Three Hands for Scorpio (2005) is a standalone Fantasy novel set in an alternate reality much like the 16th century border region of England and Scotland. South of the border is Alsonia, a nation with a monarchy and extensive peerage. North is Gurlyon, a nation of clans allegedly ruled by a king.

Raiders frequently crossed this border region in either direction to take cattle and other plunder from the other side. Moreover, reivers -- outlaws and breakswords -- attack crofts and small keeps on both sides. Neither Alsonians nor Gurlys have been able to control their own people in this regard, much less the reivers.

This is the tale of three sisters -- Tamora, Sabrina and Drucilla -- born in the same birthing to Altha, the Countess of Verset. Their father was Desmond Scorpy, Earl of Verset, and they were born on the same day as his famous victory at Erseway. They were born with the Talent, receiving their Gifts from their mother, and were well trained in these Gifts by their mother and Wise-wife Duty.

In this novel, Earl Scorpy has worked, in his capacity as High Warden, toward a general truce along the border and Clan Chief Starkadder is coming to Grosper to accompany the Earl to truce talks at Losstrait. With Starkadder will come his second son and an emissary of the King of Gurlyon.

Alsonians have heard rumors of social changes within Gurlyon. Women were previously allowed a degree of autonomy, but now have been forced into dependent relationships with male Gurlys. Some women have been harshly punished for minor infractions. The King's emissary is a Chosen -- a Gurly priest -- who has publicly whipped a woman who didn't clear out of his path fast enough.

The sisters are arrayed with their parents to welcome Starkadder and his company to Grosper. This reception is marred by the rudeness of some members of the Starkadder party. When Clan Chief Starkadder introduces the king's observer, Udo Chosen, the Gurly priest questions whether any gathered there are unbelievers and sneers at the answer. Later, at the feast given for the Starkadder guests, the second son addresses Tam as a bedwarmer; she gives him a cutting reply and the sisters depart for their rooms.

Afterward, the sisters stay in their rooms while the Starkadders are visiting and come out only after the guests and their parents leave for the truce talks. When an unusual peddler appears at the gate, the sisters stay out of his sight, but send others to observe and question him. That night, a sleep spell ensorcels the entire household at Grosper and the sisters are kidnapped from their beds.

Bina awakens during the abduction, but is unable to move, speak or even mind-touch with her sisters. Later, she is mind-called by Tam and passes on her knowledge, but both fall asleep again. Then Cilla wakes for a while. Tam is awake again when the reiver Maclan gives his name and loads them on a platform to lower them down into the Dismals.

In this story, Tam, Bina and Cilla are stranded in caverns far below the surface. These caverns are inhabited by oversized insects, snakes and other animals. Yet there they meet Climber, a cat-like creature who frees and then befriends Tam. He leads them to Zolan, a human male somewhat older than themselves. While Zolan provides them with food, water and clothing, he acts strangely and the sisters never really know whether they should trust him.

Zolan also has Talent of a dissimilar kind; he can mind-call and can lend them Power for their Gifts, but his other Talents differ from theirs. Some creatures within the Dismals also have Talents of various sorts. One powerful Adept seems to be Zolan's master.

This story is much like Exiles Of the Stars in that alien creatures have taken over the bodies of other humans. The human Adepts know how to accomplish this, but have been taught that such acts are forbidden since they are self-destructive and lead to the dark. Upon learning that a Gurly hermit has been possessed in this manner by an alien and his body used to turn others to the dark, the sisters are obligated to oppose all who follow this creature.

This novel is very typical of the author's works, portraying gifted but relatively weak principals confronted by more powerful enemies. The sisters have lesser Gifts than their mother or Duty, but they grow stronger as they struggle against a hostile environment. Yet their Gifts never become as strong as some of their adversaries. They must depend more upon knowledge, cunning and comrades than Talent to win through their various trials.

This work was written from the point of view of all three sisters, with frequent changes between the narrators. This style is a bit cumbersome, especially if the reader is trying to keep track of whom did what. I kept having to turn back a few pages to learn who was the current narrator (announced before every change of viewpoint). It was the verbal equivalent of visually tracking the identical triplets; at least Tam, the warrior one, finally cut her hair and wore trousers!

This is not the author's best story, yet it is still compelling. While it may be a lesser Norton, even her worst tale reads better than many stories by other authors. She puts a little of her special magic into every tale.

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of adversity and magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I am having trouble reading through this!.......2005-10-14

Although I am not primarily a Sci-Fi or fantasy reader, I have read many such books of the kind in the past, as well as most literary classics and post-modern works of importance; however, I am having a very difficult time reading this book for some reason, mostly because of the awkward writing style. It is difficult to explain, but I often have to read and re-read the sentences over and over again (and I have not been diagnosed with adult ADHD).

I will be sure to update this review once I am completely finished with reading the book, and I hope that I can give it a good review.

Not her best, or even close.......2005-09-02

The sad thing is, I am a major Andre Norton fan, and I didn't enjoy this book very much. I trudged through it out of loyalty, but I sure don't recommend it.

The triplets take turns talking, which would be fine if in any way Norton had given them "different voices". Unlike, say, Terry Goodkind, who can have many characters voice and they are all truly unique, the triplets have nothing distinguishing them. Therefore its distracting, too much going on, and frankly you just don't much care. The strange man they meet has so little of him that , well.. its just a poorly written book and quite a disappointment.

Still has flashes of Norton's great talent.......2005-05-25

Three young women share a magical bond. Daughters of a borderland lord and his enchantress-wife, Drucilla, Sabina, and Tamara learn their magics while the nation north of their own is torn in dissention. The true king of that northern land vanished as a boy and now a priest seems to have taken control, his harsh religion spreading fear and distrust through the country. The young women's father wants to preserve the peace and rides out to a peace meeting--which is when the enemy strikes, kidnapping the three.

Thrown into a magical land, the three discover a handsome but strange man, his tiger-sized pet cat, and a host of forgotten world-type entities--giant bugs, weird fliers, and huge snakes. The man, Zolan, claims that there is no route free of 'the dismals,' yet they know they must return to their own land--in order to save their family. Although they do not trust Zolan (and immediately suspect he is the missing King), the three, along with Zolan and the climber the cat, struggle to find their way through the Dismals and back to the normal land. Once there, though, they must face an alien power so ancient and vast it seems there can be no possible victory.

THREE HANDS FOR SCORPIO is author Andre Norton's last novel written before her recent death and her first novel in a long time written without a collaborator. In many respects, THREE HANDS is vintage Norton. The tightly coupled triplets recall the three siblings in THREE AGAINST WITCH WORLD. The suspicious but powerful Zolan is also reminiscent of earlier Norton. And Norton's setting recalls the ever-fascinating border between England and Scotland--where cattle raids and war kept life interesting for centuries.

For me, THREE HANDS lacked much of the compelling emotional impact of earlier Norton, however. The three sisters were too similar--to the point where I never really knew which point of view I was sharing. It is sad to see the decline in talents of one of the great authors of the past century--and a joy when occasional sentences and paragraphs shine with Norton's earlier talent. THREE HANDS falls short of Norton's earlier work but it's certainly worth the read.

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The Best Book Ever!
Not your usual pre-teen book
"SIMPLY" a treat for Alice fans
Simple to read, simply good!
Candy from Richview Middle School

Simply Alice
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0689859651

Amazon.com

We're starting to notice a pattern. In Alice Alone, ninth grader Alice gradually becomes too busy to see much of her boyfriend. Now, in Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's next installment in the Alice series, Alice and Patrick have broken up, and our heroine decides to throw herself into new activities to drown her sorrows. And suddenly, best friends Elizabeth and Pamela are starting to feel the dearth of Alice, too. After all the girls have been through together (The Grooming of Alice, Alice on the Outside, etc.), can they maneuver this latest bump on the road through adolescence?

Starting out with the most embarrassing high-school situation imaginable (no, really!), and wending its way through various family crises and side plots, Simply Alice reveals a newly single, steadily stronger heroine experiencing all the bittersweet turmoil of high school. But will she be single forever? Don't count on it. Romance lurks, as Alice fields e-mails from a secret admirer. Friends of Alice, old and new, will be simply delighted. (Ages 12 to 15) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Life After Patrick

It isn't Alice and Patrick anymore; it's simply Alice, and much to her surprise, Alice is finding that's okay. In fact, working on the school play and becoming increasingly involved in the newspaper have Alice so busy she doesn't have much time for her best friends Pamela and Elizabeth -- and they resent it.

And if Alice ever needed friends, she needs them now. She's got a secret e-mail admirer she's not sure how to handle. Her brother, Lester, is plunging headlong into a risky romance with a professor. And her new friend, Faith, seems unable to break free of an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. It's not simple being simply Alice.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Book Ever!.......2007-06-02

I would probaly give all the Alice books 5 stars but this book was my favorite.
This book is about Alice a red head girl has just broken up with her boyfriend. So to keep her busy she signs up for alot of stuff. Her friends are mad at her because she doesn't spend enugh time with them and her brother is having girlfrind troubles...Again.

You shoud read this book or your missing out BIG time!

Not your usual pre-teen book.......2004-12-07

My 12 year old loved this book! When I read it after her, I can see why. The author does a wonderful job of not "talking down" to the reader. She briefly touches on topics such as birth control, hazing and family abuse but in a way that is understandable and real to the young reader. Great way to begin conversation with your child!

"SIMPLY" a treat for Alice fans.......2004-06-28

Alice McKinely's umpteenth installment begins on the utmost embarassing note that I refuse to spoil for you in my review.

However, I will say this much: after the split between Alice and Patrick, after the plethora of tears and loss of confidence, after heavy friendship support, Alice is going to be okay. She's spending time with herself now, doing things for strictly herself. She's becoming immersed in high school extracurriculars and her "me time" is becoming just that, perhaps a bit too much so. Alice's very best friends, Pamela and Elizabeth, have seen Alice at her worst. They've been there for her, through thick and thin, through good times and bad times. Now, they feel like less important parts of her life. Because Alice's "me time" is spoiling their together time, and they aren't all too pleased about it. Alice senses they are all growing apart. Her abundance of activities is opening new doors and she finds herself making new friends. Like Faith, who has a penchant for black and seems unable to leave her arrogant and abusive boyfriend. Like Molly, with deep blue eyes and short, choppy hair. Both backstage crew and the school newspaper are proving to be fun and exciting. But are they worth the loss of Alice's two very best friends? Must she settle for that ultimatum? Let's hope not. The friendship troubles started out with Alice missing trips to the mall but when Alice forgot about their appointment at the pizza parlor, that fueled the fire. Thanks to her, according to Elizabeth, because she didn't show, they didn't get their discount. Alice knows in her heart that their straying from her is normal, yet it's all too sad just the same. Naylor's peek into Alice's life is enjoyable and as real as its predecessors. You'll understand Alice's hurt over her seemingly estranged friends. "All it makes me want to do is cry," Alice laments.

I find that I'm getting a bit too mature for Alice - ALICE ALONE was the last Alice novel I read that scored at the top of my list. Perhaps this is merely because of the more advanced literature I've been exposed to. But Alice and her realistic, if ever-so slightly sugarcoated teen world will always ring true and hold a special place in my heart.

Simple to read, simply good!.......2004-04-17

Coming across the Alice books, I thought at first that it would be a childish series. But looking past the covers of the books, which, some of them may appear to be a bit for the 'younger' kids, I discovered that if I had judged the Alice series by its cover, I would have missed out on a ton of excitement.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor catches the dreading and adventurous instances in a teenager's life (seemingly basing it on her own youth) and describes it in a simple, realistic way. I find that all the events occuring in each of the books I have read of hers so far, she adds nice humor here and there with believable events that are both life-like and original for a book. Plus, Phyllis has a wonderfully concise, to-the-point writing style with unique language and understandable words.

So, to sum up the book: in "Simply Alice", Alice has entered the second semester of high school and is now experiencing very time-consuming, new things and she can't seem to fit her old friends anywhere in the picture. The novel tones down a bit on all the insanity of Alice's life towards the middle of the book, and then surprising twists and turns occur from there. With a lovesick dad, spontaneous brother, and Alice's 15th birthday coming up shortly; anything is bound to happen!

Candy from Richview Middle School.......2004-03-11

At the beginning of the story it talks about her break up with Patrick. She was finally over the break up with him and starting to join clubs. She joined the drama club. She did props, make-up, costumes, and the curtains. Her friends tried to get her to give up drama club to model with them. She said "no!" She stayed in the club and did the play. The story ended with her getting a new boyfriend.
I liked the book "Simply Alice," because it reminds me about when my friends and I hang out. If one of us drop out of a club we all do. Anyways, back to the book, because there were a lot of funny things in it. Like when Alice and her friends were walking to the restroom. Alice fell down the steps and accidently peed on herself. That was so funny. This is why I liked the book "Simply Alice."

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Girl of Kosovo
Audrey S. review
say LOVE not WAR!
girl of kosovo
Simply excellent!

Girl of Kosovo
Alice Mead
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0440418534
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Amazon.com

"How was it that foreigners could come take pictures of us when we were dead, but couldn't come to help us stay alive?" Eleven-year-old Zana Dugolli doesn't understand how the rest of the world can send reporters to record the violence that is inflicted daily on Kosovo-born Albanians by the brutal Serbian military, yet do nothing to stop it. In the late 1990s, Zana's rural village is targeted when the Serbian ruling class steps up its efforts to completely wipe out ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. Unbelievingly, she watches as a bomb explodes right in front of her, killing her father and two brothers. Zana's own leg is shattered by the blast, and the physical pain added to the grief of losing half her family is almost more than she can bear. Sick with fear, Zana wonders how much longer she, her mother, and her remaining brother can face the demoralizing effects of so much hate. "All I knew was that I was slowly losing my life. I felt betrayed by everyone and everything. I couldn't trust the ground itself. If a bomb fell on it, it could swallow me whole."

Alice Mead, author of the much-lauded Adem's Cross, continues to draw attention to the horrific Serbian-Albanian conflict with Girl of Kosovo. Brutal and moving, this novel is sure to stir the activist that lives in the heart of every teen and propel young readers to a greater understanding of race, war, and politics. (Ages 10 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Eleven-year-old Zana enjoys her village life in Kosovo, even though she never feels entirely safe. Her family of Kosovo-born Albanians are ruled by the Serbian police and army. They want to destroy anyone fighting for an independent Kosovo. When bombs explode around Zana’s village, her life fills with terror and tragedy. Still she remembers her father’s words: “Don’t let them fill your heart with hate.” But that’s hard when those that were her friends are now her enemies.

Customer Reviews:

Girl of Kosovo.......2007-03-17

The book was really emotional and the way that the author described the events were amazing. The book shows that despite problems that you may have. You can always overcome any struggles.

Audrey S. review.......2007-01-30

I really liked this book a lot. I liked it because it was sad but funny at the same time and when you read the book it felt like everything was happening to you.
Zana and Lena are best friends but Zana is an Alban and Lena is a Serb. The Albans and the Serbs are at war with each other and now they can't be friends any more. One day Zana and her family were trying to escape but a bomb fell right in front of their truck and killed her father and brothers. She had to go to the hospital and get surgery done on her foot because when the bomb exploded, glass went into her foot and infected it. After the a few days in the hospital, after the surgery, she went back home and found out that the war had gotten worse. Some people died when she was away, but not many. Her foot was not getting better so she had to go back to the hospital where they gave her medicine Once the medicine ran out she had to go back home. The war was over but everyone lost their home except the three Serb families. Lena's house being one that was still standing. Everyone wanted to kill Lena's family but Zana stopped them. Now they are friends again but Lena and her family have to move to make sure that nothing happens to them.
I would recommend this book to a girl around the age of 12 or 13. Boys would not like this book because it is about a girl named Zana.

say LOVE not WAR!.......2004-11-13

A good book with inspiring story, teaching us how to deal with hate, love, uncontrolled situation and authority. Hopefully, people who read this book can surely take a very decent understanding on how diversity should be taken as wise as they can. And there's no room for prejudice, definitely!

girl of kosovo.......2003-12-03

This book was so amazing and was sp great to read. it explains about a albanian girl back in the late 1990s who is struggling through a racist war between the serbs and the albanians. With her father and two of her brothers already fead she struggles with depression friendship and hope to stay alive, also a tragic beginning of her leg that was practically blow off. I loved this book so much anyone who reads it will love it so much.

Simply excellent!.......2003-08-30

I loved this book. Alice Mead writes passionately as Zana. And if you like this book, you'll love Zlata's Diary!

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches (I Can Read Book 4)

Average customer rating:

Average Chapter book
my 4-year old daughter loved it
OBVIOUS PLAGIARISM!!!!! WHAT CRAP!!!!!! AT LEAST CREDIT!!
He He He... *Cackle*Cackle* I'll get you, My Pretty!
I want you to read this book

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches (I Can Read Book 4)
Alice Low
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0064442551

Book Description

Wendy is a little witch who is afraid of her mean, bossy witch sisters--until one special Halloween night when she makes a magical discovery and outwitches her older sisters. In this new edition, complete with full-color art, Alice Low has adapted her popular story specifically for beginning readers

Customer Reviews:

Average Chapter book.......2006-09-25

This book has color illustrations throughout the book. The text is a bit more conicse due to the artwork. The book is simple enough for a first grader at the chapter book level - and demonstrated a progression through the story that they are able to keep up with and understand.

I think there are better, funnier chapter books out there.

my 4-year old daughter loved it.......2006-02-28

Though she's most often dressed as a princess, my daughter enjoyed this book so much that she wore a black witch's cape with her sleeping beauty costume on halloween. She liked the role-playing (we pretended to be witches in the book and mix evil brews and cast spells on her unsuspecting father) and she seemed to understand the underlying message of the importance of believing in oneself.

OBVIOUS PLAGIARISM!!!!! WHAT CRAP!!!!!! AT LEAST CREDIT!!.......2004-07-01

This author is an obvious plagiarist and parents should keep their kids away from such immoral writers. Teach your kids to respect authors both in the US and abroad!!

Here is the original:
The Little Witch
by Otfried Preussler

Please have the decency to appreciate the real brilliance behind wonderful stories rather than reading this cheap ripoff. Too bad the english translation of the above book is lacking. Maybe this author could have helped translate Preusller's work rather than simply ripping off the material.

No ignorance is not bliss and teaching our kids plagiarism is WRONG! no matter how you might try to explain it.

He He He... *Cackle*Cackle* I'll get you, My Pretty!.......2002-12-03

In the book THE WITCH WHO WAS AFRIAD OF WITCHES, there were three witches, Polly, the oldest, knew *everything*, Wog, the middles sister, could do *everything* the best. Then, of course, there was the youngest and the most picked on (at least by her sisters :( ) Wendy. This is a very good book, though I disagree that the notion that all witches wear black robes and hats, have warty green noses, and cackle evily. Some are short, wear glasses, and teach english. ^_^';; Heh heh, anyway.. as I said, this is a very good book, even for older children and teenagers alike.

I want you to read this book.......2002-10-27

These are my favorite exciting parts of the book. My first favorite part is when a ghost named Roger knocks on the door and says, "Trick or treat!" and Wendy says there's nobody home. My next favorite part is when they go to Roger's house to get a broom. When Wendy sits on the broom, and she cackles and gives a little jump, she zooms to the ceiling. Another favorite part is when Wendy puts spells on her sisters, Wog and Polly. Another one is when they come home limping and they think they lost their witch powers. My last favorite part is when they find Wendy and they say that her broom won't work and Polly gets on the broom and she can't take off and Wog gets on the broom and she can't take off either. Then Wendy gets on and cackles and gives a little jump and zooms off out the window faster than they ever flew.

The Duke's Ballad (Witch World Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

If you like a novel about people sitting around talking about action, then this is for you.
The Return of Aisling
Very weakly written
Andre Norton?
a disappointment

The Duke's Ballad (Witch World Chronicles)
Andre Norton , and Lyn McConchie
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0765306360
Release Date: 2004-12-23

Book Description

The Duke's Ballad is the tale of Aisling, a young witch from a family gifted with a magical power that she must protect from her brother, Kirion, who wields magic unlike the rest of the family's. He gains power only by a terrible means: by killing others who wield magic. Years ago, Aisling fled her native Kars when Kirion, working for the Duke of Kars, tried to kill her. Since Aisling's departure, Kirion has tightened his insidious hold on Duke Shastro. The malevolent sorcerer's dark influence works through Shastro to cast a deadly pall over all of Kars. A fatal chain of events is triggered when Kirion pitches the people of Kars into a war with a neighboring clan.Aisling recruits her younger brother Keelan and returns in disguise, determined to undermine Kirion's power and unseat his evil pawn from the throne. Accompanied also by a catlike telepathic beast, Aisling becomes part of Shastro's court. But even as she begins to learn the ways of court power, a brutally cold winter besieges the land, testing the endurance of the people of Kars, who have little cheer in that darkest season. As Kars and its people contend with Kirion's depredations, the warring clan's raids, and the devastating winter, Aisling and Keelan must somehow, through guile, persistence and ingenuity, find a way to avoid the attention of their dangerous older brother, and save the people from his murderous sorcery. Only if they can survive Kirion's terrible power can they deliver the dukedom into the peace and prosperity it once knew.

Customer Reviews:

If you like a novel about people sitting around talking about action, then this is for you........2007-09-10

I love Andre Norton, and have read several of her books. This book can not possibly have been written by her. It is a dissapointing failure. The characters did not inspire any feeling from me. About 80% of the book is about the three main characters, Keelen, Hadrann, and Aisling, sitting around talking about what they needed to do and what they had done. The action was skipped over. The other 20% contained three action sequences. Two of them had nothing to do with the plot and could have been left out alltogether. The third was the ending which took up 10 pages of a 318 page novel. The action scenes were interesting and well written. If only the whole novel had been written that way.

I hate having to leave a bad review for an Andre Norton novel. But, truely, this is horrible. I didn't read the first novel in the series, Ciara's Song, maybe the two novels should have been combined into one. If you are an Andre Norton fan, you may want to skip this one and read another... any other.

The Return of Aisling.......2006-08-02

The Duke's Ballad (2005) is a Fantasy novel in the Witch World Chronicles series, following Ciara's Song. In the previous volume, Aisling escaped Lord Ruart with the help of Temon and fled across the mountains to Escore. On the way, she was wounded by a walking boulder and needs the healing mud of the Green Valley.

In this novel, Aisling has visionary dreams of returning to Karsten to protect the duchy from her brother Kirion. She has learned as much as she can from the adept Hilarion and is ready to return. Even Wind Dancer is homesick for his mother Shosho.

Hilarion declares that she has a geas to remove the magical influence of the blood-sorcerer Kirion. He sends word to his agents in Karsten to bring horses for her journey. Aisling packs and departs the Green Valley with Hilarion and other escorts. On the way to Karsten, they purge a new outbreak of the Dark Powers and then ride for the border.

After leaving her escorts, Aisling walks onward until she finds two men waiting for her. When they give the wrong countersign, she attacks them and binds them securely. Then she searches for the true agents.

When she finds the thoroughly bound Hadrann in a half-cave, she tries the password again and gets the correct response. He tells her that the other two had ambushed him and his companion. Hit with a slung stone, he had lost consciousness. When he regained his senses, his enemies were torturing his companion, who told almost all except the correct countersign.

Aisling interrogates the two enemy agents and learns that they are working for Kirion. Since they know too much, Rann slits their throats and digs a grave. Placing them into the grave, Aisling and Rann cover them in bedding and pile rocks and soil over them. While Wind Dancer had detected a "here I am" spell on one of them, Kirion will see only darkness through his eyes.

Aisling and Rann travel cautiously to Aiskeep, disguising their horses and themselves. Even Wind Dancer looks like a common cat. As they approach the keep from the backside, Aisling is seized by a man and held fiercely. Rann prepares for battle as he moves toward them, but is dissuaded by Aisling's declaration that this is her brother Keelan.

This novel tells of Aisling's efforts to undermine the influence of her brother Kirion and his puppet Duke. Disguised as Hadrann's cousin Murna, Aisling moves into the Duke's palace and becomes a member of his court. Although plain looking and a better rider that the Duke, he comes to like her for the common sense manner that she displays in thought and speech.

Meanwhile, Kirion is having troubles of various sorts. For one thing, he is running out of people with magical talents to drain for his own use. Another problem is the activities of the coastal clans; they are upset with the magical conversion of their women into Duke Shastro's ardent lovers as well as the deadly coincidences that are killing off their leaders.

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic, intrigue and loyalty.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Very weakly written.......2006-06-14

I picked up this book before I realized that it was part of a series. Although the books stands okay alone, I feel that others rated it highly because they were already attached to the characters. I was not, and while reading, did not become attached to any of the characters. The romantic (if you could call it that) relationships were contrived and without a spark of passion. Aisling could have been a great character, but she was underdeveloped. Kirion was also too flat, and his actions were unbelievable. To think that he did not get suspicious of "Murna" and Rann hanging around Keelan all the time? Or their influence upon the duke? or his missing sister? if he was a great and powerful sorcerer couldn't he also feel the geas? This book felt like it was written in a rush. There were places in the story that i believe were only inserted into the story to make it full length (the ratsi scene, the particulars about the cottage that was rented). Perhaps what was most irritating were the blatant errors that occured through the book. In one seen, "Keelan" was referred to as "Kirion" - a pretty dramatic mess up since one character is good and the other evil. "Wind Dancer" was also referred to as "Mind Dancer." Regardless, the cat was not a compelling character either in my eyes. All in all this "epic" fantasy was only epic in proportions of boredom and confusion. There was real potential, however, this attempt fell quite short of a good read.

Andre Norton?.......2005-07-22

This was a good book, not great but worth the money. It has gotten obvious over the last few books that Ms. Norton is not the primary writer, This is unfortunate, but at least it keeps the books coming.

a disappointment.......2005-06-05

The writing was not what I expect of Andre Norton. Too many gaps and information that is disjointed. Whether this is a consequence of collaboration I don't know. I felt this should have had a strong editor to point out where things should be tightened. For example - at the start we know Kirion has sent people to capture his sister. The book covers over 2 years, but you hardly hear of this again. I cannot imagine the sorcerer would just have let it drop.
I am a long-time fan and retired children's librarian. Sic Fi & fantasy is my favorite genre, but this one I had to push to finish. Unsatisfying.

Average customer rating:

The best book ever !!!!!!!!
Alice in Blunderland
More Early Alice Fun
It was a great booook.

Alice in Blunderland (Alice)
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689843984

Book Description

Can someone die of embarrassment?

Everything seems to go wrong for Alice in fourth grade -- whether it's being seen in her underpants by Donald Sheavers from next door, or saying dumb things in class, or getting trapped in her own snow cave, or getting a vitamin pill stuck up her nose. Worst of all, she's managed to get her brother, Lester, really mad at her -- and gotten both of them saddled with Mrs. Nolinstock, the worst housekeeper in the world. Will life ever get any easier? Fourth grade can't end soon enough for Alice!

Customer Reviews:

The best book ever !!!!!!!! .......2005-06-21

This is a really good book . It is the second book in the Alice seireis . If you thought the first one was the best , "starting with alice" , then you have no idea how much you will love this one . I checked it out from the library and it's like my hands were glued to it . I could not put it down I read it for two hours in a row . Non stop . I think the age group should be 10 and up . Please buy this book ! I hope my review helped . If it did push the "yes" button below this review .

Alice in Blunderland.......2005-05-06

Alice in Bluderland by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is a marvelous book about a girl named Alice that lives with her brother and father. She doesn't have a mom because her mom died when she was a little girl. Imagine how it would feel like to live without a mom! This book made me want to read more and more. If you think this book sounds boring, you are totally wrong! If you want to know more about the book you have to read it yourself. I would recommend this book to anyone!

More Early Alice Fun.......2004-06-19

In this second prequel to the Alice series, Alice is entering the fourth grade. She has a man teacher for the first time, and is now friends with the Terrible Triplets. Lester lies to her more and she, of course, believes him, which leads to some funny happenings. She also forms the "Secret Six," gets snowed in her own snow cave, and no matter how she tries to help Lester, they just can't seem to get along. This book does, however, end on a good note. I would highly recommend this prequel, along with "Starting With Alice" to any young girl, whether she's heard of Alice or not.

It was a great booook........2003-08-28

this book was so good
i think phylis is a great author
and becoming an author of this alice series
is so remarkable.

Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes, and More from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters

Average customer rating:

More than just the chronicle of the beloved National Public Radio Morning Edition series
Hidden Kitchens: Stories , Recipes and more from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters arrived fast and in excellent condition.
A cookbook worth owning
PURE DELIGHT !
Start the Car Now

Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes, and More from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters
Nikki Silva , and Davia Nelson
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Culinary Arts & Techniques | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 159486313X
Release Date: 2005-10-13

Book Description

Hidden Kitchens, the popular and highly acclaimed radio series on NPRs Morning Edition, is the inspiration for a new book by the Peabody Awardwinning producers, the Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva. Hidden Kitchens explores the world of street corner cooking, legendary meals, kitchen rituals, and visionarieshow communities come together through food. When the Hidden Kitchens project began, the Kitchen Sisters opened up an NPR Hotline and asked listeners, What food traditions are disappearing from your life? Who glues your community together through food? Hundreds of listeners called to share their stories, tips, and rituals. In addition to the stories and characters from the radio series, Hidden Kitchens interweaves new material from the enormous archive of interviews, photographs, and recipes gathered for the series. Stories such as The Saga of the Chili Queens of San Antonio and NASCAR Kitchens bring to life hidden kitchens across the country. From underground kitchens at nuclear test sites to a secret civil rights kitchen, Hidden Kitchens is a wonderful chronicle of American life and how family and community traditions are passed along through food.

Customer Reviews:

More than just the chronicle of the beloved National Public Radio Morning Edition series.......2006-04-03

Recipes pepper Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes, and More from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters, but Hidden Kitchens is more than just the chronicle of the beloved National Public Radio Morning Edition series. As part of the Hidden Kitchen project, two women called The Kitchen Sisters put forth an NPR hotline and asked listeners, "What food traditions are disappearing from your life? Who glues your community together through food? What should be captured and documented before it disappears or changes beyond recognition?" The response came like an avalanche. Hundreds of humorous, profound, wistful, and heart-rending true stories were submitted; the best of them are presented in Hidden Kitchens, along with recipes, color photographs, and illustrations. From food in the galleys of Great Lakes ships to a secret civil rights kitchen in Montgomery, Alabama, the stories Hidden Kitchens all have in common the zest to create great food, and through taste, help human beings connect with one another. Highly recommended.

Hidden Kitchens: Stories , Recipes and more from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters arrived fast and in excellent condition........2006-03-09

The book arrived fast and in excellent condition, but many of the recipes weren't that interesting, better to check out Clementine Paddleford's classic book How America Eats !

A cookbook worth owning.......2005-11-16

This is definitely a cookbook worth owning. And great for gift giving.

Janet Sue Terry author of "A Rich, Deliciously Satisfying, Collection of Breakfast Recipes".

PURE DELIGHT !.......2005-10-21

Someone has said that a kitchen is the heart of a home - it's certainly the heart of this delightful audio book splendidly read by Academy Award winning actress Frances McDormand. Few who saw "Fargo" will forget her command of the screen; few who listen to "Hidden Kitchens" will not be enchanted by her command of the stories, whether they're funny, moving or absurd.

Renowned chef Alice Waters contributes a special commentary in which she notes: "The curious and wonderful thing about the stories in this book is how much they resemble good things to eat. They can be surprising and they can be reassuringly familiar and they can be comforting and they can be outrageous."

How true!

The audio is taken in part from NPR's Hidden Kitchen Hotline, which hundreds of listeners have called with a plethora of messages regarding recipes, kitchen happenings, and cooking successes and failures. There is also a good deal of new material which Nelson and Silva have gathered from a variety of sources.

Listeners will be amazed to hear of the doings in a San Francisco cab yard, or by the lakes of Minnesota, or in a NASCAR kitchen paralleling a race track. And, there's more.

"Hidden Kitchens" is pure delight.

- Gail Cooke

Start the Car Now.......2005-10-19

Because you're going to want to take off immediately for a trip that will cram in as many Hidden Kitchens as possible. A fantastic idea, thoughtfully and intelligently written. I loved it!

Average customer rating:

A disappointing version of this book

Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates
Mary Mapes Dodge
Manufacturer: Cosimo Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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The Boy Who Held Back the Sea (Picture Puffins)

ASIN: 1596056665

Book Description

Gretel looked at her [mother] in troubled silence, wondering whether it were very wicked to care more for one parent than for the other-and sure, yes, quite sure, that she dreaded her father, while she clung to her mother with a love that was almost idolatry. -from Hans Brinker A beloved childhood favorite for a century and a half-and a book that readers continue to enjoy and appreciate long into adulthood-Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates went through more than 100 editions during the author's lifetime alone. First published in 1865, this replica of the 1917 edition features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved. This replica edition brings the enchanting work of Dodge and Carsey to a new generation of children. Author and editor Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905) was born in New York City. She served as editor of the children's magazine St. Nicholas, to which she attracted such writers as Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Rudyard Kipling. She also authored the short-fiction collection Irvington Stories (1864). ON FRONT FLAP: Gretel looked at her [mother] in troubled silence, wondering whether it were very wicked to care more for one parent than for the other-and sure, yes, quite sure, that she dreaded her father, while she clung to her mother with a love that was almost idolatry. -from Hans Brinker A beloved childhood favorite for a century and a half-and a book that readers continue to enjoy and appreciate long into adulthood-Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates went through more than 100 editions during the author's lifetime alone. First published in 1865, this replica of the 1917 edition features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved. This replica edition brings the enchanting work of Dodge and Carsey to a new generation of children. ON BACK FLAP: COSIMO CLASSICS was inspired by Cosimo de Medici, the first of the de Medici dynasty, who ignited the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history - the Renaissance. This quest for enrichment is the foundation for COSIMO, an innovative publisher of books that inspire, inform, and engage readers worldwide. COSIMO brings to life unique, out-of-print classics, representing subjects as diverse as Alternative Health, Business & Economics, Eastern & Western Philosophy, Personal Growth, Mythology & Folklore, Science, and Sacred Texts & Spirituality, and much more!

Customer Reviews:

A disappointing version of this book.......2007-01-14

If you're looking for lively, colorful illustrations to enhance the story, don't buy this book. We were so disappointed that we sent it back. And for the cost, we expected something more than old black and white drawings and an outdated font.

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