Book Description
The inspiring true story of two great friends, a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-yr-old giant tortoise named Mzee (Mm-ZAY). When Owen was stranded after the Dec 2004 tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful pictures and a moving story.......2007-10-01
This excellent account of the true story of Owen and Mzee will delight any young reader. The beautiful pictures of the animals and the park are perfectly complemented by the easy-to-read text making this book a wonderful story-time resource. Though young readers may be saddened when Owen loses his mother, his adoption by Mzee will soothe any lingering concerns while teaching a powerful lesson about acceptance. This book would be an inspiring addition to any family library.
I like this book.......2007-09-08
I bought this book for my four year old neice. It is a great story of friendship with the added bonus of being a true story. There are a lot of great photos in the book and my neice really enjoyed talking about the pictures and she added some details to the book just my commenting on what she could see in the pictures. I think this is a good purchase.
Great Book for Both Kids and Adults.......2007-08-31
Such a cute book and sent in mint condition. I would recommend this book for both children and adults.
Wonderful.......2007-08-01
What a sweet story. This book makes a great gift.It is excellent for adults to share with children.
Best Book About Love for Kids.......2007-07-21
This book is beyond heartwarming...my eyes brim with tears nearly everytime I read this remarkable story about dear Owen and sweet Mzee. My girls have been inspired by this story to not just let something be...get involved if you think it's right and not to judge a situation, to think "outside the box" and see how brilliant mother-nature is! This is a survival story and WE LOVE IT! Buy it, NOW!
Average customer rating:
- Buy all of Bradley Trevor Greive's little pearls of wisdom....
- Loved this book.......
- Book: Friends to the end
- Friends to the End: The True Value of Friendship
- FRIENDS TO THE END
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Friends to the End: The True Value of Friendship
Bradley Trevor Greive
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
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ASIN: 0740747010 |
Book Description
Friends and life. Life and friends. The two are so tightly interwoven it's impossible to imagine one being remotely worthwhile without the other. As Bradley Trevor Greive points out, "There are very few truly solitary creatures on this planet. And most of them have serious personal hygiene issues." What makes friends so special? What does our choice of friends say about us? What sparks the best friendships and keeps them burning? In Friends to the End: The True Value of Friendship, BTG uses his trademark witty narrative illustrated with irresistible animal photos to explore the daily magic we experience through our friends. Best described as a cross between his famously successful Dear Mom and The Blue Day Book, Friends to the End examines themes such as why we can't live without friends, how great friendships grow from humble beginnings, how to identify different types of friendship, what to do when good friends turn bad, and why it's all so worthwhile. "When I think back to all the really great or the horrendously bad times in my life," says BTG, "I can't help but think about how my friends made the former all the more enjoyable and the latter at least survivable. I want this book to help people appreciate friendship for all it is and all it can be."Friends to the End promises to have the same cultural impact achieved by his previous books. His modern classics The Blue Day Book and Dear Mom have been New York Times best-sellers and made the author a household name in more than 35 countries. BTG's seven previous volumes have sold more than seven million copies worldwide.
Customer Reviews:
Buy all of Bradley Trevor Greive's little pearls of wisdom...........2007-08-21
...and then throw out all your antidepressants. There's a book for every emotion one can go through in life. One caveat, however: If you're easily embarrassed, don't read these books to yourself in public. You will piss your pants with laughter.
Loved this book..............2007-05-19
This book was a joy to read with both of my dearest friends. We all got more than a few good laughs at some of the pictures and captions. I would recommend this book as a gift for a good friend.
Book: Friends to the end.......2007-03-19
Received product in excellent condition, though stated were used, I think there were very new. Really sweet book. Something to send to those friends you want to let know how terrific they are.
Friends to the End: The True Value of Friendship .......2007-02-15
It came in great condition and I'm sure both of the friends that I got it for will enjoy it.
FRIENDS TO THE END.......2007-01-10
This is a wonderful and heartfelt book.
The wording and the photographs were exactly what I was looking for.
Book Description
In this exciting follow-up to OWEN & MZEE, the New York Times bestselling story about an orphaned baby hippo named Owen and the 130-year-old giant turtle, Mzee, Craig Hatkoff explores the language of love, friendship, and nurturance that these two incredible creatures share with one another. This book traces their first year together, including their adorable playful ways and the unique "language" that they have developed.
Customer Reviews:
Lovely true tale .......2007-08-25
We purchased this book for our four-year-old avid book lover. While the book gives way to much info to keep a four-year-old's attention (unless they really love books), the photos are amazing and it is easy to shorten the relatable information until the child is old enough to appreciate it. Great book for reading/looking through just before going to a zoo.
Owen & Mzee a Wonderful Book.......2007-08-24
I got this book for my 4 year old niece. As an animal lover, I knew she would be charmed, but I didn't expect the adults to be so enthralled. Everyone who picks up this book gets caught up in the story and pictures. Thank you.
a marvelous story and book.......2007-08-23
The story and pictures are terrific, and the story of these unusual friends is beautifully told. A super book to own.
A lovely story kids will find involving........2007-07-10
Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbu's OWEN & MZEE: THE LANGUAGE OF FRIENDSHIP provides a sequel to the true story of a unique friendship between a land tortoise and a baby hippo. Photos by Peter Greste explore a special friendship in text and color images, making for a lovely story kids will find involving.
Nice one.......2007-06-02
We have enjoyed reading this book about the unusual friendship between an orphaned baby hippo and a crusty old tortoise.
The quality of the paper used and the large photo-illustrations are appealing.
The story is delightful and raises many questions, some of which are answered. It both invites the reader to marvel at the mysteries that exist in nature, and educates the reader a little about the animals concerned and conservation in general.
Book Description
With a whirling dervish of a teacher and a sprinkle of magic fairy dust, the English Roses learn valuable lessons about friendship and surviving their first crush. Readers of all ages will delight in this much-awaited sequel to Madonna's first children's book, The English Roses.
Customer Reviews:
Perfect Assumption ..........2007-08-16
New Kid in Town (... I think his name was Donovan ...) he lives near the airport (... La Guardia ... get it?) - is turning all the girls heads - Never in the history of the planet... (... on all 6 (7?) continents ...) has so much angst been shared amongst a bunch of 5th (6th?) grade girls - until M(r)s. Fluffer-nutter comes up with a devious plan - (... some have called it religion ...) - this is the tale of three (4?) brothers - the elder (8th grader?) has a wand..., ...the second (7th grader?) a stone, ... the third (6th grader?) - virtually invisible -- will he-who-has-no-nose beat it? -- ... it's a thriller ...
not too good to be true.......2007-05-10
Out of all the children's books Madonna has written, this was my LEAST favorite. However - just like the rest of her books the illustrations are beautiful and the story teaches a lesson.
Despicable, uninspired propaganda.......2007-03-19
Well, I finally purchased something at amazon, and now I too can write a review. I note the warning to "focus your comments on the product." Which is, I admit, a fair request, but with this series of books (this one being the newest), the review must include things other than the product itself.
These books are vanity projects. No publisher which respects the special significance of a children's book should allow this monster, Madonna, anywhere near such things. The reviews for the other books in this series tend to be comprised of two camps: Madonna's feckless fans, ecstatic over the release of any new "product," and the small percentage of the population which encounters the books by accident, with the latter category almost unanimous in their condemnation of these "works."
Madonna is a person who happened to be in the right place at the right time, and had enough sense to decide to exploit herself to make a dollar over the last twenty years. And, because she was a willing participant, that makes her a genius to some of you. Not to me.
Outside of her catchy pop songs, which even I enjoy for the fluff they are, Madonna has made the bones of her career out of a ceaseless parade of cheap stunts, almost always involving sex. Her body of work which has made her a celebrity has almost nothing to do with music, and everything to do with reckless and clumsy titillation. The last three times Madonna caught our attention, she was pouring hot candle wax on a man's genitals in the terrible film Body of Evidence, hanging naked from chains in an S&M club in her Sex book, and hanging from a mirrored disco cross while wearing a crown of thorns to open her most recent tour.
The reason why she is producing these books is not to improve the quality of children's material, nor is it to raise money for charity, as she is already so wealthy it matters not if she receives so much as one penny from these sales. If she wants to donate to charity, she can always sell one of her castles.
The reason she is doing this is to shovel her sick, twisted view of life straight down the throats of the most impressionable members of society. The books exist to introduce children to her name, so that they may remember her, and then go on to discover her life's work, which is nothing but greed, self-exploitation, and depravity.
The books themselves provide Madonna with the thrill of being famous and talked about, which is worth more to her than money, as she already has plenty of money. The books are not good. It is well understood that if a non-celebrity were to submit these projects, they would be rejected. However, due to her name, they will sell. Madonna then takes that as some kind of indication that her work has triumphed, as you can tell, as the self-serving introduction to this newest book indicates.
I could go on, at length, but briefly: Madonna moralizes, but she had her daughter, Lourdes, sired from a brief encounter with a man she admits she no longer has anything to do with. She points the finger over money, but is herself a supremely wealthy person who lives a lavish, materialistic lifestyle. She preaches humility, yet contrary to the tradition of children's books, she denies credit on the books' covers to the artists who illustrate them.
You could not ask for a more repulsive and hypocritical role model. She is a [...] actress who sings, and is the last among us who should be writing children's books. If you have not gone mad, I would suggest that you purchase any one of the many, many wonderful children's books available, or take the time to play with your child and write one together just for fun.
Do not, under any circumstances, buy these books, unless it is for a gag gift, and only then, do so only if you can be guaranteed it will be burned to ashes in less than an hour after the joke is over, lest the damn things find their way into a library or a school.
To reiterate: These books are vanity projects and garbage, meant to indoctrinate children into Madonna's wretched life philosophy. Avoid every one of them, and when you get the chance, do us all a favour, and destroy them.
Awful.......2007-02-27
Anyone remember when she deep throated that bottle in her documentary? Yeah, I remember thinking, "Someday I hope to buy a childrens' book from her." And yeah, the book is as uninspiring as her others.
yogagirl5117.......2007-02-13
Either I am having a "that time of the month moment" or I am just an emotional person but this video did make me cry. We saw a different side of Madonna. I saw from her true sincerity since no one in Malawi knows MADONNA: POP ICON/QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE. Once you travel to a third world nation either in Africa, Asia (as I have) the word "culture shock" does not prepare you. It's the commitment you make while you are there and the therapy you NEED to seek when you return to a developed nation in Europe, North America or South America. I have a new respect for Madonna. I hope this documentary though when it comes out is NOT all about her mission but the plight of the Malawians!
Book Description
Rusty Young was backpacking in South America when he heard about Thomas McFadden, a convicted English drug trafficker who ran tours inside Bolivia's notorious San Pedro prison. Intrigued, the young Australian journalisted went to La Paz and joined one of Thomas's illegal tours. They formed an instant friendship and then became partners in an attempt to record Thomas's experiences in the jail. Rusty bribed the guards to allow him to stay and for the next three months he lived inside the prison, sharing a cell with Thomas and recording one of the strangest and most compelling prison stories of all time. The result is Marching Powder.
This book establishes that San Pedro is not your average prison. Inmates are expected to buy their cells from real estate agents. Others run shops and restaurants. Women and children live with imprisoned family members. It is a place where corrupt politicians and drug lords live in luxury apartments, while the poorest prisoners are subjected to squalor and deprivation. Violence is a constant threat, and sections of San Pedro that echo with the sound of children by day house some of Bolivia's busiest cocaine laboratories by night. In San Pedro, cocaine--"Bolivian marching powder"--makes life bearable. Even the prison cat is addicted.
Yet Marching Powder is also the tale of friendship, a place where horror is countered by humor and cruelty and compassion can inhabit the same cell. This is cutting-edge travel-writing and a fascinating account of infiltration into the South American drug culture.
Customer Reviews:
Very good read.......2007-10-02
I read this book about 3 years ago. I never read a book with so much interest as this. It was very interesting, entertaining, frightening and attention grabbing. I am not sure if the story is 100% true but it certainly made a good read. I am planning to read the book again sometime soon.
Good read but certainly not outstanding.......2007-08-01
this book is a pretty good read. i enjoyed it but it wasn't a page turner. i'm not certain i believed all the incidents described and i think the writer embellished and downright lied at certain points for the sake of entertainment. still it is interesting and if half of what was written is true then it is a fascinating glimpse into prison life in bolivia.
worth a read but don't expect to be riveted.
Very entertaining and facinating read.......2007-05-28
What a great story - Once you begin reading it, you won't put it down until it's finished! Well written and very interesting all the way through, the book shares stories that you will find most surprising and almost unbelievable. I can't compare the substance of the story to anything else I have read - it is a mix of eye-opening surprise, awe, adventure, humour and sadness. When we travel, it's always facinating to see how other people live, and this book provides the reader with an amazing glimpse of life in a unique situation. Highly recommended.
Too good a story to be true?.......2007-05-26
If you believe everything that McFadden writes, then this is a fascinating tale of a bizarre, corrupt and frightening world.
But I don't believe everything McFadden says. I think he's a professional con artist and his last great con may have been this book. Rusty doesn't arrive on the scene until the very end, by which time McFadden's tours have largely stopped and "Yasheeda" has left the scene. In fact, very little happens after Rusty arrives. Strange, isn't it?
Even if one believes that the essential narrative of the story is true, the recreated conversations and scenes seem highly embellished.
I would love for an objective journalist to track down all the characters in this book and write a more objective account McFadden's life before and during his prison sentence.
If this book is ever made into a movie, the underlying "true" story will attract a great deal of scrutiny. As James Frey can tell you, that's not always a good thing.
boring.......2007-01-29
While you would think a book about such a bizarre South American prison couldn't help but be compelling Young and McFadden manage to turn out an absolute yawn. On top of that, my impression is that McFadden is a b.s. artist. Too bad.
Average customer rating:
- Chicken Soup for the ex friend's soul
- Could not put this book down . . . !
- The Crucible of Women's Friendships
- Nurture Your Girlfriends or the Frienship Will Die
- the best collection out there at this time on women's friendships
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The Friend Who Got Away: Twenty Women's True Life Tales of Friendships that Blew Up, Burned Out or Faded Away
Jenny Offill , and
Elissa Schappell
Manufacturer: Doubleday
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0385511868
Release Date: 2005-05-17 |
Book Description
Losing a friend can be as painful and as agonizing as a divorce or the end of a love affair, yet it is rarely written about or even discussed. THE FRIEND WHO GOT AWAY is the first book to address this near-universal experience, bringing together the brave, eloquent voices of writers like Francine Prose, Katie Roiphe, Dorothy Allison, Elizabeth Strout, Ann Hood, Diana Abu Jabar, Vivian Gornick, Helen Schulman, and many others. Some write of friends who have drifted away, others of sudden breakups that took them by surprise. Some even celebrate their liberation from unhealthy or destructive relationships. Yet at the heart of each story is the recognition of a loss that will never be forgotten.
From stories about friendships that dissolved when one person revealed a hidden self or moved into a different world, to tales of relationships sabotaged by competition, personal ambition, or careless indifference, THE FRIEND WHO GOT AWAY casts new light on the meaning and nature of women’s friendships. Katie Roiphe writes with regret about the period in her life when even close friends seemed expendable compared to men and sex. Mary Morris reveals how a loan led to the unraveling of a lifelong friendship. Vivian Gornick explores how intellectual differences eroded the bond between once inseparable companions. And two contributors, once best friends, tell both sides of the story that led to their painful breakup.
Written especially for this anthology and touched with humor, sadness, and sometimes anger, these extraordinary pieces simultaneously evoke the uniqueness of each situation and illuminate the universal emotions evoked by the loss of a friend.
Customer Reviews:
Chicken Soup for the ex friend's soul.......2007-01-25
Eh, it was ok.
It's a great topic but I didn't like the way it was done. Even though some of the stories were gripping in their sadness or inevitability, I agree with the reviewer who found the stories largely elitist.
My principal complaint, though, is with the sameness of the writing. I felt like I was reading the same contributor again and again--checking the author bios, they are all professional writers, which assures a quality of narrative but also makes the stories strangely "of a kind." (In this way, the also-introspective "Chicken Soup" books are superior; no matter what the topic a variety of lifestyles--a variety of "voices"--is represented.) If somehow some teachers or pipefitters or cartoonists or singers or somebody other than introspective writers had contributed, it would have been a more interesting title.
Could not put this book down . . . !.......2007-01-04
The topic of the book's collection of essays was especially relevant and important to me personally, having had a few friendships break up over the years. I loved all of the various perspectives from each essay writer from their personal filter of the series of events and issues that contirbuted to the demise of a friendship. I loved the fact that the essays covered a wide range of issues between friends (death, marriage, divorce, money, distance, careers etc.) and representative of various life stages in women's lives (school-aged, teenagers, young adults, 20-something, 30-something and beyond). This book captures the emotionally charged, intense and often complicated relationships that women have with one another. A very worthwhile read for anyone who has been puzzled by a friendship gone awry for one reason or another. Really terrific book, well-written, well-organized and well-conceived.
The Crucible of Women's Friendships.......2006-12-19
This is a wonderful book that most readers will enjoy. I think the vignettes or more illustrative of the vagaries of women's friendships, than, say, a more academic analysis of love, jealousy, betrayal and hurt feelings among friends.
My one and only complaint is that I hope she does a follow up book that looks at the same issue, but one that also includes online "friendships." I think that the increased use of myspace, facebook, and other bbs and online forums also provides fodder for this genre.
Nurture Your Girlfriends or the Frienship Will Die.......2006-06-04
Sometimes we grow apart, or our values radically alter, or the common interests die, whatever the case there are those relationships that whither away but are not a cause of discomfort in sudden run-ins. The ones that are, are sad.
The best piece of advice: NEVER let a man ruin a real love with a beloved girlfriend. Boyfriends are a waste of time compared to a true blue friend.
the best collection out there at this time on women's friendships.......2006-04-22
The best collection of objectively written yet heartfelt stories written by intelligent people. It's about women's secret, unspeakable competitiveness and inability to be truthful and/or tactful enough to stay friends.
I was struck by how nuanced and complicated women's friendships are: helped me see my own failed friendships under the light of inevitability, blamelessness, and hopelessness.
Most of the essays deal head on with the ugliness of competition, and not in a Glamor magazine type of glib way, but in a helpful, analytical yet readable way.
Book Description
From bestselling author Madonna comes two stories about the English Roses, five best friends who do everything together. With the help of a little magic fairy dust and a quirky, lovable teacher, the English Roses learn that the bond of female friendship is unbreakable!
Each of these luxuriously boxed and limited editions are numbered and are available exclusively on Amazon.com. Each includes:
- A letter from Madonna, personally autographed
- A giclée digital print on fine-milled paper, signed by Stacy Peterson, the illustrator of The English Roses: Too Good To Be True
- First edition hardcovers of The English Roses and The English Roses: Too Good To Be True
Customer Reviews:
Madonna's lousy signature.......2007-09-28
I've been a Madonna fan for over 20 years and I was never so diappointed in the signature than was included in this book. Give me a break. Thank goodness I waited until they were $30. My husband bought me a copy at the original price last Christmas and when I found out the signatures were awful, I was so disappointed.
It seems Madonna's perfectionism is starting to crumble, or she just didn't give a flying fudge about it--that's what it looks like to me anyway. So disappointing in the signature and in Madonna!
Madonna: YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN SOME SCRAWLING SIGNATURE!
I doubt these last five in stock will sell at the original price. It's really not worth it, unless you are a die-hard Madonna fan and have to have it.
Worth it.......2007-09-04
This is very well put together. The package is very nice but, of course, the most interesting part of it is the "signed" letter from Madonna. This might be the only way for any fan to get a real Madonna's signature. Yes the signature is rushed and the author could and should have paid more attention to it, simply out of respect for her fans. I paid 30 $ for it and it is really worth it's price...it's not worth 150 dollars though.
nice package.......2007-08-31
I already had both books but this box with Madonna's personal letter and autograph and the litho for only 30US$ instead of 150 US$ was just to good to let go.
nice collectors item
The English Roses.......2007-08-26
the bok was well packaged, the autograph of Madonna sucked, it was a mess no wonder she could not sell that book for $150.00. Amazon did a great job getting rid of them.
It is what it is!!.......2007-08-04
Just as previous reviewers stated, it's a Madonna autograph. Not a great autograph but at $30.00 it's worth it.
Average customer rating:
- my favorite book
- True Talents
- A dramatic story of confrontation and courage
- Richie's Picks: TRUE TALENTS
- fun tale for middle school children
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True Talents
David Lubar
Manufacturer: Starscape
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ASIN: 0765309777
Release Date: 2007-03-06 |
Book Description
Its been over a year since fifteen-year-old Eddie Trash Thalmeyer and his friends from Edgeview Alternative School found out about their special hidden talents. Trash can move things with his mind, Torchie is a fire-starter, Cheater reads minds, Lucky finds lost objects, Flinch can predict the future, and Martin can see into peoples souls. Now back home with their families, all the boys want to do is get back to their normal lives, start attending high school, and keep in touch with their friends from Edgeview. When Trash tests his power in a bank and accidentally steals a fistful of cash, he is kidnapped by the ruthless leader of a shadowy company whose purpose is to gather information about psychic phenomenaand who is willing to do anything to get it. Torchie, Cheater, Lucky, Flinch, and Martin join forces to rescue their friend using their hidden talents, and discover their true talents in the process.
Customer Reviews:
my favorite book.......2007-06-23
This book is wonderful. I think everyone in the world should read it. The characters are compelling, the plot is intriguing, and the entire concept of it is wonderful.
If you like Holes and you like superheroes (I do), this is your sort of book.
True Talents.......2007-06-20
I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable book. I recommend it to those who have also enjoyed Scott Westerfeld's Midnighters Trilogy.
A dramatic story of confrontation and courage .......2007-05-13
It's been over a year since teen Eddie and his friends from Edgeview Alternative School have discovered their special hidden talents, which involve PSI and other extra-sensory abilities: now they are back with their families and looking for normalcy, when a kidnapping involves the group in both a rescue and a battle against an organization which seeks to use their talents for evil. A dramatic story of confrontation and courage evolves in an excellent, fast-paced story teen leisure readers at the middle to high school grades will relish.
Richie's Picks: TRUE TALENTS.......2007-04-06
"As I headed for the stairs, I sensed someone behind me. The footsteps matched my own. I sped up. So did the steps that followed me. I wanted to run. But that would be a mistake. Running would get me noticed. Notice would get me caught.
"Someone whispered in my ear. Three words. 'Be cool, Trash.' "
"School days were such happy days
Now they seem so far away"
--The Kinks
I fondly remember those school days that were so uncomplicated and happy, those younger days that revolved around friendships amongst a group of guys. Sadly, a devastating house fire two decades ago scatted the ashes of a long-cherished photograph to the wind, but I can still see that photo perfectly in my mind's eye. It was taken the afternoon of my twelfth birthday, exactly forty years ago, today. March 4th in 1967 fell on a Saturday. We were all dressed quite nicely -- mostly button-down shirts and even some blazers -- and we were all at my house, downstairs in the rec room, gathered close together at that moment, mugging for the camera. It would be the last big occasion I'd ever share with many of them, for we were in what would today be called a charter school, and many of those guys would begin the next school year at a distant junior high school situated at the other end of the large school district. The crowd that day included the lanky Mike O'Brien, an upcoming basketball player who could expertly pick out "Do You Want to Know a Secret" on his acoustic guitar. There was Paul Marino, who could pull faces that would crack up a Sphinx. David Cripps was my steady homework buddy -- we'd been the school's math stars for the past couple of years. Brian Staab and I had gotten together and collaborated on the sort of memorable science fair project that required incendiary devices.
Sure, I was also friends in those days with some girls. (Not that there were any at that party.) It was back when girls were still just people, with all the adolescent self-consciousness and weirdness somewhere yet on the horizon. Nevertheless, I just didn't have the kind of camaraderie with girls that I did with the guys. All the significant females in my life at that point in time were caregivers; in contrast, those guys played a significant role in who I was.
"When I woke on Friday morning, Martin was already up, watching TV with the sound turned low.
" 'I have a perfect plan,' he said. 'We stay here. The food is great. They have all the good cable channels.' He pointed to the TV section from the paper. 'There are some cool shows on tonight. The beds are comfortable, and there's a maid to clean up after us. What do you think?' "
David Lubar's 1999 tween novel HIDDEN TALENTS is a middle school treasure-of-a-story. I was turned onto it years ago by an eighth grader who announced in one of Shari's English classes that "Anyone who likes HOLES will love HIDDEN TALENTS." (That sure got us to read it in a hurry, and we've been booktalking it ever since.) HIDDEN TALENTS is the story of six troubled boys who, upon being sent to the high-security Edgewater Alternative School and meeting one another, discover that each is really a superhero of sorts -- a group of boys with hidden talents. One of the most wonderful things about HIDDEN TALENTS and TRUE TALENTS, one that is sometimes overlooked in those discussions that often center on the more clever and flashier aspects of the story, is the spot-on camaraderie among the boys.
"Flinch dove past me, landed on the bed with a belly flop, and shot his arm toward the bedside table. 'I got it,' he said. As he put his hand on the phone, it rang.
" 'Showoff,' I said.
"He flashed me a smirk and lifted the receiver. Before he could speak, I yanked the phone from him and shot it across the room to my waiting hand, then returned his smirk as I said, 'Hello?' "
In TRUE TALENTS, the long-awaited sequel, the six boys reunite and take their show on the road to Philly, becoming embroiled in a thriller of deceit and danger and death and double-crosses. A really, really bad guy has caught wind of some of their hidden talents and is developing a plan to control the sextet for his own sinister purposes. So the boys -- who so clearly care about each other -- have to help one another out of some seriously scary scrapes and, in the process, reveal their true talents.
"But there was nothing he could do about it. Life didn't come with a backspace key."
In TRUE TALENTS, as was the case with my life in sixth grade, the occasional female characters are pretty much all caregivers. And so, while there is no backspace key of life that permits me to go hang once again with my old buddies from the Grace L. Hubbs Extended School Year program, I have, instead, spent quality time chilling with another great bunch of guys: Martin, Cheater, Lucky, Flinch, Trash, and Torchie (who just set the candles AND the cake on fire).
fun tale for middle school children .......2007-03-11
The young teens met at the Edgeview Alternative School, but bonded as hopeless misfits dealing with the abusive bullying hulk Lester Bloodbath and the shock therapy punishments for alleged misbehavior of Principal Davis. A year has passed since "Trash" learned he has telekinetic powers and his mates found their skills too. Torchie lights fires, Cheater reads minds which enables him to cheat on tests, Lucky finds missing objects, Flinch forecasts the future, and Martin sees souls. Though each relishes a secret power, each also wants to be normal especially as they go to the American torture camp for dweebs: high school.
Back home Trash wonders if he dreamed of his super friends and his own psychic ability just like he dreamt of killing a gorilla. He tests his skill by mentally pick pocketing a wallet though he returns it to the owner; albeit with a reward. He next decides to see what he could do at the nearby Ben Franklin bank, but is caught with a successful telekinetic withdrawal of cash. Major Bowdler and a top secret squad looking into psychic phenomena has captured Trash and plan to use his skills for nefarious research purposes with their subject being an expendable butterfly. His only hope resides with the nerd squad of Edgeview, Torchie, Cheater, Lucky, Flinch, and Martin using their HIDDEN TALENTS as a team, but each first must escape from curfew imposed by adult supervision.
This sequel continues the adventures of the six nerdy psychic teens who became friends at Edgeview, but though they are moving on to high school remain in touch with one another. These six musketeers know the truth of one for all and all for one so when Trash gets into trouble his five banditos risk their freedom to try to rescue him from an immoral research group looking into psychic phenomena. TRUE TALENTS is a fun tale for middle school children and those adults who appreciate Potter-mania.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
A highly personal and moving true story of friend-ship and remembrance from the New York Times bestselling author of Duty and Be True to Your School
Growing up in Bexley, Ohio, population 13,000, Bob Greene and his four best friends -- Allen, Chuck, Dan, and Jack -- were inseparable. Of the four, Jack was Bob's very best friend, a bond forged from the moment they met on the first day of kindergarten. They grew up together, got into trouble together, learned about life together -- and were ultimately separated by time and distance, as all adults are. But through the years Bob and Jack stayed close, holding on to the friendship that had formed years before.
Then the fateful call came: Jack was dying. And in this hour of need, as the closest of friends will do, Bob, Allen, Chuck, and Dan put aside the demands of their own lives, came together, and saw Jack through to the end of his journey.
Tremendously moving, funny, heart-stirring, and honest, And You Know You Should Be Glad is an uplifting exploration of the power of friendship to uphold us, sustain us, and ultimately set us free.
Customer Reviews:
Heartfelt and Touching!.......2007-07-18
I have been a fan of Bob Greene for almost 20 years, when I first bought "Be True to Your School," ironically enough on a clearance rack. If you have read "BTTYS," as I have over 100 times and at least once a summer, you are familiar with 5 friends called ABCDJ and the trials, tribulations, successes, failures, and memories of the year 1964, when they were juniors/seniors in high school. "And You Know You Should Be Glad" is a wonderful autobiographical continuation of sorts of "BTTYS," set about 40 years later. I would recommend reading "Be True To Your School" first before reading this book, although Greene uses flashback very successfully to reminisce about his Bexley years. I can totally relate to what Greene was emotionally going through in "And You Know You Should Be Glad," with regards to dealing with cancer. I thank him, not only for an update on the ABCDJ quintet, but also for giving me a medium to help me through my own trying time. Thanks, Bob, for sharing your story, and for telling the world about a true friend!
true blue.......2007-04-27
I knew Bobby(thats what we called him)Greene and ABCDJ. I went to Bexley and ran around with them. I can honestly tell you that Bobby is true blue to his friendships and to the history of his youth. I was there and it is unreal to read these stories of our antics so factually remembered. Jack Roth was a wonderful,kind person and was so vividly described in this book. ABCDJ were the "cool guys"with the typical high school pranks that seem very tame by todays standards. We all had such a charmed existence growing up where we did in the times that we were young. I am so thankful for my upbringing and thrilled that I can read about it by such a great storyteller.
A Special Intimacy.......2007-01-23
Bob Greene captures the intimacy of male bonding in his lovingly-told tale, AND YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD BE GLAD.
A master of the small but significant moment in our lives, Greene captures the atmosphere of Bexley, Ohio, during his childhood, especially the times five teenage friends hung out together in the old, familiar neighborhood.
We take for granted the small moments, the little jokes, the special phrases and mannerisms of our friends, he asserts. Each of his five friends (the ABCDJ printed on the back cover brick) have different outlooks, and their differences are cherished.
When they reach late middle-age, one of the gang, J on the brick, takes sick and Greene relates the poignant memories this illness brings forth in all of them. The old Toddle House stirs up old conversations, the Beatles are remembered fondly, and cars, girls and football deserve special mention in this coming-of-age memoir.
Greene masters these nostalgic moments, he brings tears to our eyes, and he makes Bexley seem like our home town.
Thanks, Bob
by Larry Rochelle, author of the memoir, GHOSTLY EMBERS: VISIONS OF TOLEDO, OHIO
Touching.......2007-01-11
This was the first Bob Greene book I read and I immediately wanted to read more. This book made me cry and I knew the ending!! I emailed the author to let him know how much this book meant to me and he responded. I am now a fan.
Exploitative maundering.......2007-01-04
this book is repetitious and boring. In an apparent effort to publish something--anything--Bob Greene exploits the final illness of a friend. The details of their youth in Ohio are pedestrian, and he offers no particular moral or spiritual insights.
Book Description
The first nine books in the popular Christy Miller series are now available in three treasured volumes!
Bestselling author Robin Jones Gunn packs each one with enough action, romance, and drama to keep you reading and wanting more. It all starts the summer Christy vacations on a California beach and meets two friends who change her life forever. But after moving across the country with her family, Christy must begin her sophomore year of high school uncertain where she’ll fit in. A red-headed new best friend, a try at cheerleading, a job at a pet store, and expectations for the prom fill Christy’s high school years with a string of laughter-and-tears moments. Fireball Katie keeps everyone guessing what she’ll do next, and surfer Todd keeps showing up while popular Rick has determined to get her full attention! As these memorable years unfold, Christy and her God-loving friends find out what it means to be a “peculiar treasure.” Follow Christy Miller as she stays true to her identity in Christ, drawing closer to God for help in realizing her dreams and dealing with her disappointments.
Whether you’re meeting her for the first time or have known her for years—
Christy Is a Forever Friend
True Friends
What is a true friend? Christy Miller knows she has two of them: Todd and Katie. To show how much she appreciates them, she writes to Todd, who’s off surfing in Hawaii, and she agrees to join the ski club with Katie…even though she’s scared of skiing! Fortunately, Christy and Katie can laugh as they bumble their way around the bunny slopes at Lake Tahoe. But Christy finds herself caught between new friends and her loyalty to Katie. Will Christy find a way to be a true friend when it counts most? And will she ever hear from Todd?
Starry Night
It’s Christmastime, and Christy Miller has so much going on: family time, work, and maybe, just maybe, going to the Rose Bowl Parade with a bunch of friends. If only she could answer Uncle Bob’s tough questions. Todd’s buddy Doug gives her some insight, and she starts to appreciate him in a whole new way. Rick Doyle shows up again...but is he pursuing Christy or the cutest elf at the mall? Through it all, will Christy find someone special to count the stars with?
Seventeen Wishes
It’s summer, and that means the beach and other adventures. And Christy Miller’s best friend, Katie, is always full of ideas. They’ll be camp counselors! But when Katie can’t go, Christy is bewildered and overwhelmed by her fifth-grade girls, who have boundless energy for anything except what Christy wants them to do. Do they even hear a word she says? Soon they’re playing matchmaker between Christy and Jaeson, a handsome counselor...and he doesn’t seem to mind. When Christy’s seventeenth birthday arrives later in the summer, just what will she be wishing for?
Story Behind the Book
“The Christy Miller series was actually born when a group of thirteen-year-olds challenged me to write a novel. I’d been questioning the content of their favorite books when they said, ‘Why don’t you write a book for us?’ I told them no, I only wrote picture books. But they persisted: ‘How hard could it be? We’ll even tell you what to write! We want a love story with teenagers at the beach.’ And there you go. Summer Promise first released seventeen years ago and is now translated into five languages. I continue to hear from readers all over the world, many girls saying that they gave their life to Christ after reading Summer Promise. I love that!”
—Robin Jones Gunn
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Christian Book for Teens.......2007-05-07
In a day and time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to find age appropriate reading for Christian Teens...Robin Jones Gunn has fit the bill with her Christy miller Series...My 14 year old is hooked, and I read them and loved them too. I bought all 12 books for our church library!
Every girl should read this book!.......2007-01-09
It is beautifully written with a wholesome approach to life and love. It is the story of a young girl's progression from early adolescence to young adulthood. The story chronicles her understanding of true love and at the same time shows her development as a christian and her increasing passion for her love of Jesus Christ I highly recommend it!
Books:
- Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family
- Real Food for Dogs: 50 Vet-Approved Recipes to Please the Canine Gastronome
- SALAMANDERS OF U S & CANADA
- Shiba Inus (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)
- Shopaholic & Baby (Shopaholic)
- Small Animal Surgery Textbook
- Standard Catalog of World Coins: 17th Century - 1601-1700 (Standard Catalog of World Coins 17th Century Edition 1601-1700)
- The American Eagle
- The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats (Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
- The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time
Books Index
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