Bridge to Terabithia

Product Description

Jess Aaron's greatest ambition is to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. He's been practicing all summer and can't wait to see his classmates' faces when he beats them all. But on the first day of school, a new kid, a new girl, boldly crosses over to the boy's side of the playground and outruns everyone.

Amazon.com

The story starts out simply enough: Jess Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade--he wants it so bad he can taste it. He's been practicing all summer, running in the fields around his farmhouse until he collapses in a sweat. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farmhouse next door and changes his life forever. Not only does Leslie not look or act like any girls Jess knows, but she also turns out to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade. After getting over the shock and humiliation of being beaten by a girl, Jess begins to think Leslie might be okay.

Despite their superficial differences, it's clear that Jess and Leslie are soul mates. The two create a secret kingdom in the woods named Terabithia, where the only way to get into the castle is by swinging out over a gully on an enchanted rope. Here they reign as king and queen, fighting off imaginary giants and the walking dead, sharing stories and dreams, and plotting against the schoolmates who tease them. Jess and Leslie find solace in the sanctuary of Terabithia until a tragedy strikes and the two are separated forever. In a style that is both plain and powerful, Katherine Paterson's characters will stir your heart and put a lump in your throat.

Customer Reviews:

Makes You Feel Like A Kid Again.......2007-09-29

Katherine Paterson, with vividly beautiful prose, tells a story about the friendship between a young boy and a young girl, and how that friendship transforms the life of that boy from something dull and normal to something as spectacular as a imaginary fantasy land. The book itself is short and an easy read, but what the book really says to the reader is quite a bit bigger than its page count. Much like growing up, this book is both sweet and painful, and Paterson truly has a great handle on what its like to be a ten year old, fifth grade boy. So for all those readers who aren't afraid of a book that will make them cry (for both sad and warmer reasons) than I recommend this book. It doesn't matter if you're a child or an adult, "Bridge to Terabithia" is universal.

10/10 Classic.

Bridge to Terabithia CD.......2007-09-27

Love the CD. It is done very well. You may need to be aware however that there are curse words in the book.

Read this one with your child.......2007-08-22

There are some pretty heavy subject matters within this beautiful work of fiction. Yet, they are subjects that need to be dealt with, and what better conversation starter than a response to something you've read together? This is the story of Jess and Leslie, two outcasts of their 5th grade class (although I found both to be interesting). They become neighbors and fast friends, and make up an imaginary kingdom deep in the forest, called Terabithia. There, they have the confidence and control which eludes them in the real world. But an amazing thing happens in that they begin to see the world in a different, more favorable light. They find that people are not who they seem, and this makes them better and more compassionate individuals. The first time I read this, I was absolutely stunned by the tragedy that takes place. Even still, after several times rereading it, it tears at my emotions. I commend Katherine Paterson for bravely venturing into such sensitive matters, ones that will make children better capable of dealing head-on with their own emotions.

What was this book about?.......2007-08-10

I did not understand why this book was written. What was it all about? The only point it seemed to make was Leslie's death at the end of the book. Overall I thought that it was exteremly uneventful. Terabithia seemed to have a small role to play in the book. 'Much ado about nothing' fits this novel.
I cannot, however, ginve this book only one star. Giving it one star would be hating this book. I did not hate it I just thought that it never did get to the point. If it was a memior I would have liked it. As a memior I would have thought it was a good book because I would have expected this. (I wouldn't have picked it up though. Memior isn't quite my style.) I liked the characters and was sad when that girl died. I think that that is why I haven't given it one star.
Not a ringing endorsement, but if memior is what you like I'd give it a shot.
-cdm

A wonderful tale of friendship and loss.......2007-08-09

This book digs deep into the lives of two children just trying to make it in a world where everyone sees them as outcasts. The slow start to friendship is quite clear and gripping as we see Jesse struggle with his ability to allow a girl, someone that beats him at something he is supposed to be the best at, enter his life and transform his world.

This is a great book about a friendship that goes slowly, and ends too quickly. Wonderful fantasy lies within which will surely make your children want to create their own Terabithia.

The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)

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Nanotech? Clash of Cultures? Stephenson got it goin' on
Not Free SF Reader
My favourite Sci-Fi book
ONe of the best books I have ever read
Different!

The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)
Neal Stephenson
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

High Tech | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0553380966
Release Date: 2000-05-02

Amazon.com

John Percival Hackworth is a nanotech engineer on the rise when he steals a copy of "A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" for his daughter Fiona. The primer is actually a super computer built with nanotechnology that was designed to educate Lord Finkle-McGraw's daughter and to teach her how to think for herself in the stifling neo-Victorian society. But Hackworth loses the primer before he can give it to Fiona, and now the "book" has fallen into the hands of young Nell, an underprivileged girl whose life is about to change.

Book Description

In Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. Now, in The Diamond Age, he delivers another stunning tale. Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life-and the entire future of humanity-is about to be decoded and reprogrammed....

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In Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. Now, in The Diamond Age, he delivers another stunning tale. Set in twenty-first century Shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a state-of-the-art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin named Nell. Her life -- and the entire future of humanity -- is about to be decoded and reprogrammed.

Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel, 1996.

"[Stephenson] has gotten even better. The Diamond Age envisions the next century as brilliantly as Snow Crash did the day after tomorrow."
   NEWSWEEK

"[Stephenson is] the hottest science fiction writer in America... Snow Crash is without question the biggest SF novel of the 1990s. Neal's SF novel The Diamond Age promises more of the same. Together, they represent a new era in science fiction. People who plow through these mind-bogglers will walk around slack-jawed for days and reemerge with a radically redefined sense of reality."
   DETAILS

"Neal Stephenson is the Quentin Tarantino of postcyberpunk science fiction.... Having figured out how to entertain the hell out of a mass audience, Stephenson has likewise upped the form's ante with rambunctious glee."
   THE VILLAGE VOICE

"Snow Crash drew its manic energy from the cyberpunkish conceit that anything is possible in virtual reality; in The Diamond Age the wonders of cyberspace pale before the even more dazzling powers of nanotechnology."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"The Diamond Age establishes Neal Stephenson as a powerful voice for the cyber age.... At once whimsical, satirical, and cautionary."
   USA TODAY

"Stephenson's world-building skills are extraordinary.... The Diamond Age should cement Stephenson's reputation as one of the brightest and wittiest young authors of American science fiction."
   THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE

Customer Reviews:

Nanotech? Clash of Cultures? Stephenson got it goin' on.......2007-09-11

Is The Diamond Age a glimpse of a powerful, unique future? Is it a treatise on the limits of technology? Stephenson emerges as the force I hoped he would become, in this strong follow-up to Snow Crash. The story follows Nell, an impoverished thete, and her brother as they struggle to deal with a hierarchical, paternalistic society ruled by "Vickys," new Victorians, the controllers of the Feed: the nanotech hardline that all future technology is based on. Stephenson succeeds because his effort is comprehensible: "Dirty air and dirty water came in and pooled in tanks. Next to each tank was another tank containing slightly cleaner air or cleaner water...all the action took place in the walls separating the tanks, which were not really walls but nearly infinite grids of submicroscopic wheels, ever-rotating and many-spoked. Each spoke grabbed a nitrogen or water molecule on the dirty side and released it after spinning around to the clean side...in the end, all of them were funneled into a bundle of molecular conveyor belts known as the Feed". Stephenson expertly introduces us to his future-tech through the eyes of Nell, our female protagonist. Her brother Harv explains how an MC (matter compiler) works and mugs a nanotech engineer who is carrying a copy of the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer intended for his daughter. Harv recovers it for Nell and then the story really takes off, as we see Nell blossom into a respectable young Vicky, attending a girl's finishing school and completing adventures in the lands of the Primer. The vastness of the book makes the world more credible, as we hear of the foundations of phyles (tribes) of the new society, the extent of the new technologies and the problems in China, a real specter many of us must face in our lifetimes. The combination of scifi, mythology and history makes this an appealing romp through a future still consistent with our present.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Firstly, it is not really possible for him to top Snow Crash, so I couldn't expect that. I did only find the Diamond Age to be average.

A corporate underling takes a supercomputer in the form of a book to educate his daughter to see beyond the strictures of the society that she has been raised iin. He is a nanoengineer, so some exploration of building by nanomachines is present.

My favourite Sci-Fi book.......2007-07-26

Often, when I read a book with many threads involving different characters it's rare in the extreme to enjoy each thread equally. This is that rare book. It's science fiction bordering on fantasy but with just enough grounding in possibility. It's also a wonderful treatise on parenting. As a parent myself, I found the primer to be a well laid out discussion on the role and possibilities of parenting. Excellently written and a genuine page turner, I finished this book in less than a week.

ONe of the best books I have ever read.......2007-07-11

Simply put, this is a great book. The storyline is excellent, and the characters are incredible. If you like cyberpunk, science fiction or fantasy, you will find something in this book to keep you interested, guaranteed.

Different!.......2007-06-28

First goes first, I enjoyed this book quite much. It has a very well developed story which is fast-paced and intriguing. It is something that goes beyond usual stories in science fiction, originality is something which I think should be quite valued these days. There are quite a few characters whose personalities have also been very well lain through their actions, thoughts, physical descriptions...
Maybe the science in this science fiction book is not that great but just don't expect nothing too realistic, let's just use our imagination to see how the future could be.
Buy if you feel like it and enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Life changer! I fully recommend 100%
My pants fell down
Fit for Life
Long on rhetoric...short on facts, this book is mostly hype
Detractors haven't tried it. Fruit's Not a Fad.

Fit for Life ll
Harvey Diamond , and Marilyn Diamond
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0446358754

Customer Reviews:

Life changer! I fully recommend 100%.......2007-09-04

THis is the best of all thier books. THe details are just perfect for someone who is applying these changes to his life.
I hope they release new books, with new and very detailed advice.
I believe, the phase of convincing the people of harmful food habits, is way gone. We are at a phase, where we want to do something about it. Just give us the details how. The positive energy from this book is superb. THe effect it has had on my families life, and my peers is astounding. I highly recommend it.

My pants fell down.......2007-06-22

One August morning in 1988 I got off a bus on (I think) Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. I was on vacation, and it was a beautiful day. But I felt lousy, lacking energy and feeling generally sluggish. What's more, I'd had a "good" breakfast -- eggs & toast. After finding myself on Wilshire Boulevard, I noticed a Crown Books & thought, there must be something here to help me. I picked up a copy of FIT FOR LIFE, the first one. Where I came from it wasn't easy to get avocadoes, let alone distilled water, which was only used in irons. But for the next three weeks I was able to give it a try. I shopped at the Erewhon health food store, I remember. I adhered strictly to the Diamonds' regimen -- not following every meal instruction, but not infringing the rules either. I returned to my native country, and about four weeks after buying the book, I noticed that my pants were falling off me. I was perplexed for a while, because losing weight wasn't in my calculations. I just wanted to feel good. But after a bit the penny dropped, as had the fifteen pounds that I could obviously afford to lose (along with my pants, which I couldn't). By the way, I also felt a hell of a lot better.

It may or may not be that the Diamonds get carried away at times. They would not recommend diet alone for the treatment of cancer or a broken leg. Use your common sense. I have not remained fully true to the program over the years but as they recommend, do what you can.

Fit for Life.......2007-05-12

My nephew and his friends and I have been following the Fit for Life philosohphy for two months and find that they have dropped 15 to 25 pounds. I have followed the philosophy for one month and have dropped fifteen pounds. I was following the South Beach Diet and find eating the live foods agrees with me more. I have more energy than before. My joints are feeling better. My entire body is more alive it seems.

I have recommended this book to many others in the hopes that they too will feel better.

Long on rhetoric...short on facts, this book is mostly hype.......2006-08-22

I bought and read this book years ago. At the time, the Diamonds seemed to make a good case for their viewpoint. After researching their claims over the years, I have discovered that most of what they claim is pure fiction and has no basis in the real world. They seem to know enough about their subject to be dangerous but not enough to actually offer sound advice.

Take what they say with a grain of salt and research their claims before putting any of it into practice.

Detractors haven't tried it. Fruit's Not a Fad........2006-02-24

The negative reviews seem to be all the same and don't seem to have tried it and maybe even haven't read it. There's nothing unhealthy about eating fruit in the morning. Eating anything you want after noon is hardly a fad diet. The book just suggests eating things separately like a big steak and greens rather than adding a bunch of fillers like potatoes. It suggests eating all the starches you want but just not with the steak as it complicates the digestion process. I like to eat that way anyway. Give me more meat and less potatoes any day! The book suggests exercise. That's not a fad. It's just common sense. The book suggests not drinking coffee. If you eat fruit, you can really pound the coffee and still come out feeling good. I like Fast Food Friday's more than most but eating more sensibly is nothing but a positive. If you are a runner or some other athlete and have plateaued, you should consider their suggestions. You won't hit the wall so easy if you eat the fruit.

Average customer rating:

harvey diamond's best book
The Truth Unleashed
This is an absolute must read!
A superbly presented guide to a wealth of natural remedies

The Fit for Life Solution
Harvey Diamond
Manufacturer: Dragon Door Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0938045393

Book Description

How to Identify and Successfully Eradicate

The Causes of Pain, Fatigue and Disease— NOW!

Discover the Magical Missing Link to Power Healing—Your own Lymph System

Deluxe Edition of Fit for Life: A New Beginning

Discover incredibly simple ways to eliminate threats to your well being and enjoy amazing, life-long health

Avoid Cancer

Live Pain-Free

Evade Life-Threatening Conditions

Lose Weight and Keep it Off Forever

Bounce with New-Found Energy

Look and Feel Terrific—All the Time

The All-Natural, Drug-Free Way to

A Wonderful Life of Radiant Health

Is it possible to enjoy a life without pain? Without disease? Without obesity? With energy to spare? And all-around vibrant health? The answer is a resounding YES! With Harvey Diamond's revolutionary new book, THE FIT FOR LIFE SOLUTION, a truly healthy life is yours for the taking.

Discover the simple but astoundingly effective three-step CARE program to:

Easily lose all the weight you want…forever!

Understand and prevent the seven stages of disease

Quickly cleanse your lymph system of the toxins that make you sick

Avoid all cancers with confidence

Always know what's best to minimize and maximize in your diet

Dramatically boost your energy

Magically eliminate digestive problems, headaches, and other chronic pain

Customer Reviews:

harvey diamond's best book.......2007-02-11

this is a really good book. his original fit for life book also has some very good info in it, the diet regimen part of it less so in my opinion. but here he puts it all together, and focuses primarily on the link between diet and disease, using cancer as his main example. it has the feel of a great debunking text, as in, here is the fundamental and unassailable link between diet and health, the food we eat and the illness and disease that follow -- a basic truth that the AMA, FDA and pharmaceutical companies prefer you not see, as they pour billions of dollars of dollars into ads and countless propaganda. and then he shows, like john robbins' diet for a new america, that the paradigm of destruction of the S.A.D. (sad or standard american diet) extends not only to our health but also to pollution and ecological damage on a grand scale. the type of book you should read and then send copies to your friends. cheers, jg

The Truth Unleashed.......2004-07-23

This is a great book with Harvey at times unleashing his full venom at the medical profession, food industry and fellow dieticians. He is speaking up for the truth and I happen to believe him. Why? Because I have tested and followed the Fit for Life principles myself and they work.

However before reading this book (which I call Fit for Life III), I would advise buying and following the principles laid out in the first two books i.e. Fit for Life and Fit for Life II. They are easier to read, gentler (probably because they were written in partnership with Marilyn!) and cover the essential dietary/lifestyle principles you need to follow.

This book contains exactly the same text word for word as Fit for Life: A New Beginning (apart from the cover is different and the book is physically bigger), so if you want to save yourself some money I would buy that one instead. I would have rated the book 5 stars, if it was not for this point.

This is an absolute must read!.......2002-07-17

If you are at all interested in learning how to have complete and total control of your own health and how to confidently and easily live a sickness, pain and disease free life this book is definitely for you. In a climate of ever increasing statistics of disease and ill-health the clear and simple ideas of this book are nothing short of a Godsend. Since the medical profession, the single biggest industry in this country, makes the enormous amount of money that it does by the population being and remaining sick and full of disease they would have us believe that living a healthy disease free life is totally beyond our control. Well, thanks to the brilliant, yet extremely simple methods put forth by this author, the reader is able to take his/her health back into their own hands and truly live without sickness pain or worry of most, if not all diseases. The information in this book is as simple and easy to understand as it is groundbreaking. This book could and should change the world and the way people view cancer, sickness, pain and other diseases. The author explains in remarkably common sense and simple terms exactly how to take total control of your health, vitality and weight by using your body's lymph system (which the author explains is the body's garbage collector). He clearly points out that like a car, our body is a machine, a complex living machine and that after a while due to residue of foods we eat, toxins, chemicals and pollutants in foods, spent cellular material, and other wastes our bodies become "silted up" and require an "oil change" so to speak just like our cars do, otherwise sickness plagues us and disease begins to form. Not only is the information in the book groundbreaking and life changing, but the author, Harvey Diamond, who is known for his humorous and entertaining writing style, delights and entertains the reader with a book that I could not put down until I found myself finishing the last page. I recommend this book to absolutely everyone who can read and who desires to be healthy, energetic and disease free and truly feel this book could turn around the entire cancer and disease epidemic in this country and put the power of your own health back into people's own hands where it belongs! Not reading this book is just like turning your back on a pile of gold the size of a mountain. Thank you Harvey Diamond!

A superbly presented guide to a wealth of natural remedies.......2002-06-05

The Fit For Life Solution: How To Identify And Successfully Eradicate The Causes Of Pain, Fatigue And Disease -- Now! is a superbly presented guide to a wealth of natural remedies and information on balancing one's diet so as to improve health and well-being. Individual chapters address a range of pertinent issues including the importance of a nutritious diet and faithful exercise regimen, evading life-threatening conditions (including cancer), as well as offering a "participant friendly" program called CARE that involves simple health principles to improve one's look and feel. The Fit For Life Solution is a solid, informationally packed and recommended guide to self-betterment.

Average customer rating:

A Rare Find
A story for young and old.
Rats now have a new level of interest for me
friends
A story about making friends even if you're scared to do so.

Walter: The Story of a Rat
Barbara Wersba
Manufacturer: Front Street
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 1932425411

Customer Reviews:

A Rare Find.......2007-09-08

So simple, yet not. This lovely story presents a one of a kind opportunity to share many important topics with a child in an way that he/she can be easily relate. There are so many themes and underlying nuances. What a wonderful way to explore the fragile nature of human insecurities and prejudices - this book should be on every 5th grade teacher's reading list. I can't wait to share it with my niece Allison.

A story for young and old........2007-06-12

A beautifully written story about a very special friendship between two lonely souls that will touch your heart. Barbara Wersba proves little words can express deep emotions.
Wonderful illustrations!

Rats now have a new level of interest for me.......2007-05-25

This book is lovely and deeper then one would think for such a small book. I find that I would like to know more about their relationship and wished that this sweet tale would continue...

friends.......2007-05-14

I read Walter as soon as it arrived and loved it. It is a beautifully written account of a growing friendship between two lonely individuals...great lesson here. I can't wait for my grandchildren to read it.

A story about making friends even if you're scared to do so........2007-03-29

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The drawings were warmly detailed and delicate. I felt the story so heartwarming. It explains how Walter and Miss Pomeroy, who were both living lonely existences for different reasons, took the 'risk' of putting themselves in each other's lives in hopes of making that wonderful connection we call friendship.

The exchange of notes was sweet - and the first note back from Miss Pomeroy "i know" actually gave me goosebumps.

Towards the end of the book there is a drawing of Walter and Miss Pomeroy together. It was so poignant is made me cry. I highly recommend this sweet story. I would think it would be especially helpful to a child who is introverted and afraid to make new friends.

Average customer rating:

Makes You Feel Like A Kid Again
A profound tale of fantasy and legacy
A true classic!
A Journey of Self-Discovery.
Bridge to Terabithia (5th grader's opinion)

Bridge to Terabithia (Movie Tie-in)
Katherine Paterson
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0061227285
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Book Description

Now a major motion picture, discover the beloved Newbery Medal-winning story of Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. Join Jess and Leslie as they form an unlikely friendship and create the imaginary land of Terabithia. There they rule as king and queen, until a terrible tragedy occurs that helps Jess understand just how much he has learned from Leslie.

Customer Reviews:

Makes You Feel Like A Kid Again.......2007-09-29

A profound tale of fantasy and legacy.......2007-09-18

The Newberry Award winning Bridge to Terabithia touches the heart as only a story influenced by real life experience can. The book is dedicated to the author's son David Paterson and his childhood friend Lisa Hill who was killed by a lightning strike. The book was written while the author was coming to terms with this tragic loss.

Jesse Aarons is boy growing up in the 70's in a rural area outside of Washington D.C. that time forgot. He is the middle child of five, the other four children being girls who his mother appears to favor. He has an artistic nature which his father attempts to discourage as not fitting to a boy. Mr. Aarons is gone from dawn to dusk working in the city, leaving little time for his son who gets stuck doing all the farm work.

About to enter the 5th grade, Jess is determined to be the fastest runner at Lark Creek Elementary School this year. Winning has become symbolic for everything he feels everyone expects from him. This dream is shattered when a new family moves in to the place next door.

The new neighbors are city folk, the parents both writers who have decided that the city is no place to raise their child, Leslie. Leslie is just plain different. Disdained by the girls because she wears pants to school, Leslie enters the recess races traditionally designated for boys only and wins. When a classroom assignment forces Leslie to reveal the fact that her family has no television, Jess finds it in his heart to forgive her transgression and the two misfits become fast friends.

With Leslie, Jess can be himself and he reveals his love of drawing to her. Leslie has a fertile imagination, no doubt inherited from her parents and tells stories that Jess just itches to draw. When Leslie decides that the woods need exploring, Jess swallows his fear of the place and together the pair creates the magical kingdom of Terabithia where they are King and Queen.

Aside for his time with Leslie and recess, the only other thing Jess enjoys is their Friday music class. He has a crush on his teacher who is unique as well. The parents have labeled Ms. Edmunds a hippy because her appearance is different and the songs she teaches are often political in nature. Ms. Edmunds was the only other person besides Leslie that Jesse could show his drawings. She'd understood his need to draw and had even been complimentary.

Days of rain has swollen the dry creek bed between their homes and their imaginary kingdom. Jesse who is unable to swim is consumed by fear of crossing the creek. The excuse he needs to avoid the situation comes when Ms. Edmunds offers him the chance to visit the National Gallery with her. The invitation makes Jess feel important and even though a little guilty about missing his playtime with Leslie and for not thinking to invite her along, he enjoys the day immensely.

He expects to face the music when he gets home, but instead returns to unthinkable tragedy. Jess goes through all the stages of a person who has experienced a horrible loss, guilt, anger, and crushing grief and comes out on the other side a richer person for his experience. He has new insight when it comes to others and views his teacher, his family, and even the school bully with new eyes. He also realizes that in order for Terabithia to retain its magic it must be shared with others.

This story reflects the joy and pain that all humans experience while growing up, finding our own identity and coping with those who would keep us from it. While the tragic aspect of the plot is painful to read, it brings home the fact that every friendship is precious and that even if short lived can profoundly affect the person we become. Jess and Leslie are every child, filled with imagination and living in a world of their own creation, one which can't be crushed by the mundane aspects of everyday life or even the tragic ones. They live in all of us.

Note: the movie for the most part stays true to the book (David Paterson the author's son was one of the producers), some of the nuances are lost because the story is told as if it occurs in 2007 instead of the late 1970's, and some of the scenes have been changed but overall there was little poetic liscense take with the original text. I will admit that I cried more reading the book even though I knew what was going to happen. The movie though slow paced at times moved fairly quickly through Jesse's grief to the scene where he recreates Terabithia for his little sister. The imagery was beautiful. Nice touch making putting the school bully's face on the Terabithian giant!

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews

A true classic!.......2007-08-08

I absolutely love the movie, but I didn't read the novel until later. It works in different ways, but it's excellent! The movie develops certain story threads more than the book, and I love the changes, but it's fairly faithful to the original, which is still a moving story. It's easy to see why this book has become such a perennial favorite among readers.

A Journey of Self-Discovery........2007-04-12

I started reading BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA after my sister encouraged me to give it a try. Having worked in libraries, I had often seen the book checked out and I new that it was a Newberry winner. However, I was always turned off by the book's cover (which featured a young boy and girl next to a tree) and by the book's blurb which gave me the impression that story was a piece of chick lit geared toward young girls. My attitude towards the book first softened when I saw trailers for the BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA movie from Walden Entertainment. Those trailers didn't look anything like the blurbs and jacket covers I had read. Shortly after seeing those trailers my sister told me I should read the story and that I would probably like it. She was right.

Though BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is often marketed and read en-mass by pre-teen and teenage girls, the book actually revolves around a boy named Jess Aarons. Jess lives on a poor, small farm in rural Virginia. He is the only boy of five children. There isn't anyone nearby that is close to his age and so after completing his chores, he spends a lot of time alone tramping through the fields, running, reading books, and drawing pictures. At the end of summer a new family moves into the vacant house next door. The parents are both writers and they have one child, a daughter named Leslie who is Jess' age. Jess and Leslie quickly befriend each other and become best friends. They spend all of their time together create an imaginary kingdom in the woods, Terabithia, that they rule together. Jess brings out the best in Leslie and vice versa and though neither acknowledges it they fall in love with each other. Then one glorious day, a terrible tragedy strikes. Jess is forced to examine his life and realize just how big of an impact Leslie has had upon it.

I have to admit that BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA was a much better book than I thought it would be and that it touched me. The story reminded me of one of my favorite books of all time, STARGIRL, by Jerry Spinelli. Both books deal with some of the same themes (close friendships, first love, nonconformity, etc.) and have similar characters (Stargirl is like an older version of Leslie), but STARGIRL is aimed at an older audience than BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA, though BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is more tragic.

BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA is a wonderful book and is the first work of Katherine Paterson's that I have read. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more of Paterson's writings in the future.

Bridge to Terabithia (5th grader's opinion).......2007-04-11

Have you ever wondered if your imagination could create a world??? Well in this adventure book you can.

This book is called Bridge to Terabithia. I must also thank the great author Katherine Paterson. For making a great mischievous adventure book.

Bridge to Terabithia is about a boy named Jess who is having a rough time in life. But, then his class has a new girl named Leslie and she keeps talking to Jess about his imagination. Then they find out that they are neighbors so they decide to race each other down a road when they find a rope attached to a tree and under the tree is a river.

So Leslie decides to jump on the rope and go across to the other side of the river so Jess follows her across. Once they get to the other side they decide to use their imagination to create a land called Terabithia to help them conquer there fears from the school bully named Janis. So then...... I guess you will have to read the book to find out anymore.

If you're wondering what happens next and why its called Bridge To Terabithia when they get to Terabithia by a rope not a bridge then you'll have to read the book to find out.

My opinion is that this book would be a two thumbs up. If you like adventure and especially imagination books then this is the book for you. It's a really descriptive book I am sure you will enjoy it. This book I would give it five stars because it's a wonderful children's book

Also after you read Bridge To Terabithia then make sure to see the movie as well. My opinion is that if you're going to see the movie then make sure your read the book before you go to the movies.

Diamond Heart, Book One: Elements of the Real in Man (The Diamond Heart Series , No 1)

Average customer rating:

Recommended reading for those on the Diamond Essence path...
A Great Teaching
Powerful, Simple and Profound...What a Book!
Almaas's Diamond Approach.
Transcripts Of A Truly Integral Transpersonal Body Of Work

Diamond Heart, Book One: Elements of the Real in Man (The Diamond Heart Series , No 1)
A. H. Almaas
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0936713011
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Amazon.com

First in the four-book Diamond Heart series, this collection of essays--taken from transcripts of seminars A.H. Almaas delivered over a several-year period--is an effective introduction to the Diamond Approach of inner realization. Lamenting that human suffering is due to not living up to one's human potential, Almaas proceeds to lay out in detail a uniquely modern and strictly logical path to enlightenment--its purpose to regain one's palpable human essence. Carefully leading the reader through stages of increasing depth and subtlety, he reveals hidden self-knowledge. Chapters with simple titles such as "Value," "Truth," and "Trust" open doors to realizations that result in relief from existential angst. If you have ever felt you were missing something you couldn't quite name, chapter 2--"The Theory of Holes"--is worth the price of admission. --Randall Cohan

Book Description

This four-volume series presents a collection of talks given by Almaas on topics such as faith, commitment, nobility and suffering, truth and compassion, allowing, and growing up. Through these talks, Almaas offers valuable guidance and advice for those on a spiritual path, and he explores the challenges and psychological barriers faced by those seeking self-realization.

Customer Reviews:

Recommended reading for those on the Diamond Essence path..........2006-12-20

There's no doubt Almaas is a very conscious teacher. His written work and speeches are a testament to that.

The book, Diamond Heart, provides a decent introduction to those considering the Diamond Approach. If you're doing the Diamond Essence work then it's likely you'll have it, if you're not, this would give you some valuable insights into 'the work' to assist you in making your decision. For someone who wants to pick up a book and apply it though, you're not really going to be in luck here as the Diamond Approach is much more extensive than this book can impart and requires substantial, consistent application over many, many years under the guidance of a trained teacher. The Diamond Approach is Almaas' work, based on the elements of several spiritual traditions including Sufism, Buddhism, Zen and others and also some aspects of psychology. Many people, I think, will arrive at this work through Ken Wilber and this book is as good an introduction as you can get.

Almaas has written / talked(!) extensively and has produced some truly deep (and lengthy) volumes. This volume is a collection of essays from speeches he has given over several and is very much an enjoyable and enlightening read. It includes topics such as Trust, Essence, Allowing, Giving up, Truth, Faith and Compassion amongst others. It will give you much to reflect upon, however, for practical application, you're going to find it partial and lacking as that's not its intent.

A Great Teaching.......2005-07-21

Years ago, my then Zen teacher, Joko Beck, was recommending that her students read A. H. Almaas's "Diamond Heart" series. She said that his work helped her articulate the connection between the ego and the absolute. Whether or not someone wishes to pursue this particular path, this is an amazing book. Teachers often say that "we are love (or compassion, peace. . .)." Almaas helps us understand what that actually means.

Powerful, Simple and Profound...What a Book!.......2005-06-14

A friend mentioned this book to me at a party and I took a chance on it and WOW. This book is so valuable. The most important relationship you'll have in your life is the one with yourself! This is a journey, one you can't afford not to take, and affording it has nothing to do money, it's your life.

Almaas's Diamond Approach........2002-09-13

This is the first book in A. H. Almaas's four-part Diamond Heart series of teachings, and as such, it offers a good introduction to his integration of Sufism, Zen, and Vajrayana Buddhism with Gurdjieff and modern psychology into what he calls "the Diamond Approach" to realizing our full potential. "We live in a world of mystery, wonder, and beauty," Almaas observes in the book's Preface, "but most of us seldom participate in this real world, being aware rather of a world that is mostly strife, suffering, or meaningless" (p. i). According to Almaas, this is because we are not realizing and living our full potential. The collection of teachings compiled here (based on talks Almaas delivered in both Colorado and California), thematically linked by the "essence" of what is real in each of us, have the power to change the way you live your life.

G. Merritt

Transcripts Of A Truly Integral Transpersonal Body Of Work.......2002-08-29

Diamond Heart Book 1 is the first in a series that comprises a certain body of knowledge of the teachings of the school created by A.H. Almaas (a pen name). There are two complementary "lines" in the series: Diamond Heart and Diamond Mind. The Diamond Heart series, currently 4 volumes, is a selection of essays and transcripts from the teaching, and is non-clinical in it's language. I found the relatively conversational style to be excellent as a companion to the Diamond Mind series books which are rather technical and clinical in their use of pschoanalytic and psychodynamic language. The books in each line roughly parallel one another in content: the material in Diamond Heart vol 1. deals with much of the same material in Diamond Mind vol 1., The Void (and another Almaas title "Essence"). Reading them together gives one a much deeper understanding of the material. Imagine reading the clinical text and then going to hear the speaker at a seminar workshop or vice versa.

What is unique about this overall body of material is that it is truly integral in its approach. In that regard, it is similar to Ken Wilber's multi-volume uberwork of Integral Psychology drawing from both Eastern spiritual disciplines and Western psychological theories and practices. Almaas' material is very specific and uses examples from his students work in psychological and spiritual development to give you something to relate to in your own life and growth work which I found extremely helpful for anchoring understanding.

If the following ideas are appealing then this material is for you: When we are born we are our true selves as Essence and Being. Over time and through exerience in relation to our parents, family members, peers, and the world at large we develop a protective structure called the Ego. In the developmental process, we not only lose contact with our Essence, but begin to identify with our Ego structure as our real self. This state of affairs contributes to much of our suffering in life. In the East, enlightenment is seen as coming through the dissolution of the Ego, while in the West the integration of the Ego is seen as the final development of the adult individual. Almaas shows that both are right but incomplete in that each has something to contribute to the other. The work is about disidentifying from the Ego through techniques of psychodynamic work in order to dismantle it, while at the same time reconnecting with and developing those aspects of our original Essence in order to become a fully realized adult human being. Wonderful work.

Average customer rating:

Very insightful, a worth while read

guns,germs and steel

Dimly Focused

Guns Germs and Steel review

A modern, scientific "just so" story

Guns, Germs and Steel
Jared Diamond
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal (P.S.)

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters)

ASIN: 1565115147
Release Date: 2001-08-23

Amazon.com

Explaining what William McNeill called The Rise of the West has become the central problem in the study of global history. In Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond presents the biologist's answer: geography, demography, and ecological happenstance. Diamond evenhandedly reviews human history on every continent since the Ice Age at a rate that emphasizes only the broadest movements of peoples and ideas. Yet his survey is binocular: one eye has the rather distant vision of the evolutionary biologist, while the other eye--and his heart--belongs to the people of New Guinea, where he has done field work for more than 30 years.

Book Description

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize

In this groundbreaking work, evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond stunningly dismantles racially based theories of human history by revealing the environmental factors actually responsible for history’s broadest patterns. It is a story that spans 13,000 years of human history, beginning when Stone Age hunter-gatherers constituted the entire human population. Guns, Germs, and Steel is a world history that really is a history of all the world’s peoples, a unified narrative of human life.

Customer Reviews:

Very insightful, a worth while read.......2007-10-06

I highly recommend reading this book. Diamond provides compelling evidence for the disparity between civilizations. Any fan of history or just anyone curious about the rise of our current state will find a great read in Guns, Germs, and Steel.

guns,germs and steel.......2007-10-05

great perspective other than what we in western cultures traditionally have in in our relations with 3rd world countries

Dimly Focused.......2007-09-25

Though erudite and crammed with information, some of it a bit arcane, "Guns, Germs, and Steel"suffers somewhat from a blunted point of view. Is the author trying to tell us that some of our assumptions concerning the rise of cultural norms are over simplified? If so, he might have done so more forcefully with fewer words, more carefully selected facts, and perhaps a more lucid writing style. Do some societies prevail because their native tongue is more efficient and expressive than those employed by other cultures? Following that theme might have made for a more intriguing book. Are there some determinisms at work in every culture which inhibit the fulfillment of its destiny? Maybe the author thinks so, but the massive brush used to paint such a scenario causes the entire work to shimmy through a mass of frequently fascinating material without conclusions. The book's excessive length detracts from its compelling points: we live, some of the time, at the mercy of gigantic forces we do not control. Do genetics control our formation, or climate, or enormous economic systems? And who can give us convincing answers? Anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists of course come to mind. But what of poets, seers, artists, and theologians? Maybe Jared Diamond knows, but by the time he finishes inundating us with facts, some slightly pretentious, it's hard to tell for sure. I had hoped this book's scope and claim would give convincing guidance. But because it lacks definite focus, it did not.

Guns Germs and Steel review.......2007-09-24

This is an excellent book, the hypothesis is very compelling and interesting. I watched the DVD in addition to the book and I was not disappointed at all. Worth the read!

A modern, scientific "just so" story.......2007-09-23

One of the most important books of our time; it single-handedly wipes out every justification for racism, and gets to the roots of why humans groups are where they are presently. An amazing synthesis of disciplines into one very readable explanation of how it came to pass that Europeans happened to be the ones that colonized the rest of the planet instead of some other group. The most clear example I've ever seen of why archaeology, and all the social sciences are not only important but vital to modern people. The better our understanding of the past the more likely we are to be able to let go of the emotionality that keeps us at each other's throats. A modern "just so" story.

Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds (Cam Jansen)

Average customer rating:

Young readers love it
Dogwomen kelly
A photographic memory comes in handy...
CAM JANSEN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN DIAONDS
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds was great!

Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds (Cam Jansen)
David A. Adler
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142400106

Book Description

The Cam Jansen books are perfect for young readers who are making the transition to chapter books, and Cam is a spunky young heroine whom readers have loved for over two decades. Now the first ten books in the series have updated covers that bring new life to these perennial best-sellers. Old fans and new readers will love Cam's cool, modern look!

Customer Reviews:

Young readers love it.......2006-03-13

This was purchased as a gift for a young reader. It is important that a new reader develope a love for reading at a young age and what better way than to read stories developed especially for that age group.

Dogwomen kelly.......2006-01-11

I like Cam Jamsen because....It has mysterys in it. All boys and girls should read Cam Jansen .

A photographic memory comes in handy..........2005-01-19

You have to love Cam Jansen. When you're a kid, you read all of these stories about magic powers, mystery, and adventure. But everyone tells you magic can't exist. Cam Jansen manages to solve every case without the use of magic... she's a real girl. That's what makes her special and what makes you want to red more and more. Cam Jansen is a real kid superhero, and the thought that a person like her could actually exist... makes her the best kid detective ever! Our family loves Cam Jansen!

CAM JANSEN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN DIAONDS.......2000-06-06

I LIKE THIS BOOK. BECAUSE CAM HAS A GOOD MEMEREY.SO HE HELPSSOLVE THE MYSTREY!

Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds was great!.......1999-06-27

I liked the book a lot! Only you can't put it down! I thought it was very exciting and surprising. The best part was when Cam was in the house. I won't say any more because you should read it yourself, because you will like it too.

The Human Brain Coloring Book (Cos, 306)

Average customer rating:

Human Brain Coloring Book Review
The Human Brain coloring book
The best to learn neuroanatomy...
Great Book
Great by for knowledge of the brain

The Human Brain Coloring Book (Cos, 306)
Marian C. Diamond , and Arnold B. Scheibel
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anatomy | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0064603067

Book Description

Developed by internationally renowned neurosurgeons, this unique book is designed for students of psychology and the biological sciences, and medical, dental, and nursing students.

Customer Reviews:

Human Brain Coloring Book Review.......2007-09-22

I'm using this book in conjuction with a science class at school. Found it helpful in reviewing brain structures, but would not use it alone.

The Human Brain coloring book.......2007-05-12

If you are a visual learner, this coloring book is a must for Neuroanatomy class!

The best to learn neuroanatomy..........2007-04-24

I struggled in Neuroanatomy. Once I got this book after our first test my grade went up a whole letter grade. So if you are like me and a very visual learner...I highly recommend this book. And if you are trying to decide b/w this one and other coloring books, get this one. I tried others and this one was the best. Not only are the pictures and labeling great, but on the side of each picture you color is words which explain how that system, process, etc works. It explains it in terms that are easy to understand and help you remember.

Great Book.......2007-03-09

This book is extremely helpful in learning neuroscience. Especially with pictures of the tracts...It really help you visualize and understand whats going on.. and the descriptions on the side of the coloring page are written very well.

Great by for knowledge of the brain.......2007-01-11

Very helpful in learning more about all of the different parts of the brain. This book makes reading and learning about the brain easy for any age. I used this book right along with my regular book for my class.

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