The Samurai's Garden: A Novel

Book Description

The daughter of a Chinese mother and a Japanese father, Tsukiyama uses the Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s as a somber backdrop for her unusual story about a 20-year-old Chinese painter named Stephen who is sent to his family's summer home in a Japanese coastal village to recover from a bout with tuberculosis. Here he is cared for by Matsu, a reticent housekeeper and a master gardener. Over the course of a remarkable year, Stephen learns Matsu's secret and gains not only physical strength, but also profound spiritual insight. Matsu is a samurai of the soul, a man devoted to doing good and finding beauty in a cruel and arbitrary world, and Stephen is a noble student, learning to appreciate Matsu's generous and nurturing way of life and to love Matsu's soulmate, gentle Sachi, a woman afflicted with leprosy.

Customer Reviews:

A beautifully crafted novel.......2007-08-26

This story was simplistic and wonderful. I read it in two days and was mesmerized by the rich culture. The best book I've read in a long time

A sedate samurai.......2007-08-20

The plot of this book makes a terrific outline: A young Chinese man recuperating in Japan from tuberculosis while Japanese troops are slaughtering his Chinese contemporaries in the pre-World War Two invasion; a quiet but strong and wise caretaker who lives to rescue victims of leprosy, including a woman spurned by his best friend; a marriage crisis for the Chinese man's parents; a Romeo/Juliet type love story between the Chinese man and a young Japanese woman. Should be socko.

Instead, it's sedating. Whether it's the passive nature of Stephen, the young Chinese man, or the very pedestrian writing style of the author, I found this book consistently tepid. She shows off her new knowledge about Japanese culture, giving detailed descriptions of every meal and every kimono.

She tells the story through Stephen when the caretaker, Matsu, is the central character. Because Matsu is strong and silent, we don't get inside his character development.

Nevertheless, it's an interesting look at Japan before WWII: religion, relationship and customs.

Beautiful.......2007-08-15

A delightful story of a chinese teen, sent to japan on the eve of WW2 to recuperate after getting tuberculosis. He meets his father's servant who he gets to know and the locals, finding them friendly and welcoming even with the war. He finds the simple way of life, instead of being boring, fills his days and he is bereft when the war forces him to leave.

A wonderful piece of prose, this haunting story of the simple people and their tragic lives is a page turner.

Read this book when feeling calm.......2007-05-21

Reviews of the Samurai's Garden seem to fall into two camps. The "Oh my God, I loved it-best book evers" and the "Are you kidding me? This book stunk category!"

My problem with those in the latter category is that (with a few exceptions) readers who did not like this book tend to mount some moral literary high horse. They relish insulting other reviewers, as in "Anyone with any discerning taste and one scintilla of brain cells would NEVER like this book, ergo if you do you, I hate to break this to you, but you are a stupid, simple, idiot." Listen to yourselves! I wonder what it must feel like to these people to know everything?

Anyway. I did not particularly love this book, but I really can see how many did. The case can definitely be made that there were many layers of beautiful, intertwining lessons in this seemingly simple, yet really more-complex-than-it-looks book. In that sense, it kind of reminds me of the polarizing effect of the Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

My biggest problem with this book was that I don't think I was in the mood for it. I read it at a time when I had a lot going on, and couldn't sufficiently savor it. This is a book to be savored in peace. For most of my read of it, I wasn't in a peaceful frame of mind as a reader. My personal restlessness wanted more action, less bean cake eating. A few times, however, despite myself, I was caught flat-footed with awe by something in the story. The one thing I took away was to never forget that everyone has a story that helps define them. You just have to be still and listen.

Gorgeous Prose.......2007-02-12

Languish for a while in the Tsukiyama's Japanese garden and you may never want to leave. The serenity created in Matsu's little haven is contradicted by the military domination of the Japanese over the Chinese and the reclusive leper colony struggling for a peaceful existence in a realm beyond that of war. It is to this environment that a young Chinese boy enters into in search of healthier air and soothing salt of the sea . As his body begins healing, his emotions are delicately fractured by all that he learns of war, leprosy, first love, his family secrets, and the servant Matsu - who is truly a master of wisdom, honor, and faith. I wanted to walk through this garden again and again.

Average customer rating:

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden
GREAT teacher gift
Superb!

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden: [Gift Edition]
Edith Pattou
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152058028

Book Description

Mrs. Spitzer is a wise teacher who knows many things. She knows about gardens. She knows about children. She knows how similar they are. And how they will flourish if tended lovingly.

There are many remarkable teachers like Mrs. Spitzer in the world. Available for the first time in an intimate gift edition, here is a book to celebrate all that they do, year after year, to help our children grow and blossom.

Customer Reviews:

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden.......2007-09-22

Beautiful book with a beautiful message. It gets to the heart of teaching. Since we're studying plants in my class at the beginning of the year, I used it to tie in the comparison of "tending plants" and "tending young minds."

GREAT teacher gift.......2007-06-08

I gave this book to my daughter's kindergarten teacher. She loved it. I had all the kids sign their name in the book. It's small enough to be displayed if desired.

Superb!.......2007-05-20

This is a "must have" for all teachers. Any teacher would love to end (or begin) the year with this wonderful gift. The author draws a perfect analogy between the care of a garden and the children put in her charge for a year. I LOVE IT!

Average customer rating:

Uno's review
Love Base!
another hit for GB!
Delightful illustrations, thoughtful message
Just the right size for any kid!

Uno's Garden
Graeme Base
Manufacturer: Abrams Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810954737

Book Description

Art + Arithmetic + Environmental Awareness=Graeme Base's latest masterpiece

From the creator of the international best-sellers Animalia, The Water Hole, and Jungle Drums

Once again, beloved author Graeme Base introduces readers to a new world. And again, he interweaves the story with hidden images and mathematical problems (and solutions!), creating a book that can be read over and over, and at different levels for different ages.

When Uno arrives in the forest one beautiful day, there are many fascinating and extraordinary animals there to greet him—and one entirely unexceptional Snortlepig. Uno loves the forest so much, he decides to live there. But, in time, a little village grows up around his house. Then a town, then a city . . . and soon Uno realizes that the animals and plants have begun to disappear.

Uno's Garden is a moving and timely tale about how we all unknowingly affect the environment around us, just by being there—and how we can always learn from our mistakes and find ways of doing things better. It's an illuminating blend of storybook, puzzle book, and math book.

Customer Reviews:

Uno's review.......2007-07-10

This should be in the library of every school. Base has again gifted us with a wonderful book appropriate for all ages and relevent to today's ecological concerns.

Love Base!.......2007-05-12

Not only was the book another masterpiece from Base but my boys LOVED it as did I! One of the best authors for children ever and his illustrations are delicous!

another hit for GB!.......2007-02-13

I fell in love with Graeme Base when I stumbled across Sign of the Seahorse on a bargain clearance table. Since then I have purchased all of his books and as each new one comes out, I add them to our library. I know my girls will want these books for their kids. When I brought home 1 copy of Uno's Garden, my 4 yr old wanted clarification on exactily who the owner of the book was. Now I'm buying in triplicate! The story is sweet, the art is amazing, and the math concepts worked in are an added bonus. Love it!

Delightful illustrations, thoughtful message.......2007-01-15

We are big Graeme Base fans at my house. His illustrations and stories have a lot of depth and imagination. My 5 year-old loved Uno's Garden. He had a great time looking at all the animals and quickly decided on his favorite. The book has a good message about maintaining balance between people and nature and presents the message in a way that even very young children can understand. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves great illustrations and a thought-provoking story.

Just the right size for any kid!.......2007-01-04

When I look for children's books, I try to choose books that can be enjoyed on different levels as a child gets older, a book that can be shared by older and younger siblings or a book that has a worthy message. This one has it all: Its a picture book filled with lush (and humorous) images that invite stories to be created without relying on the words on the page. It is a story book about the need for balance in nature. It is a math book that goes from counting to addition and subtraction to multiplication. I gave it to my 2nd-grade-teacher husband and its one of the most popular books in his classroom.

Average customer rating:

A touching story for any teacher!
THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER
the perfect gift
Mrs. Spritzers Garden
Lovely book about teachers

Mrs. Spitzer's Garden
Edith Pattou
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152019782

Book Description

Mrs. Spitzer is a wise teacher who knows many things. She knows about gardens. She knows about children. She knows how similar they are, and how both will flourish if tended lovingly.
There are many remarkable teachers like Mrs. Spitzer in the world, and Edith Pattou's simple, moving story along with Tricia Tusa's inspired, whimsical illustrations celebrate all they do, year after year, to help our children grow and blossom.

Customer Reviews:

A touching story for any teacher!.......2007-05-15

This beautiful story about a teacher who cares for her flower garden (tilling the soil, watching for weeds, catering to each flowers different needs, as well as noticing the differences between the various flowers) makes a great gift for any teacher, care giver, etc. The symbolism is so true between the flowers and children! It's a very sweet story!

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEACHER.......2007-05-07

Tuesday, May 8th is National Teacher Day. What a perfect gift for your favorite teacher or your child's favorite teacher.

MY favorite teacher is my daughter who teaches first grade. This book is wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated. The illustrations will be enjoyed by young and old alike. The story line is charming and caring.

Mrs. Spitzer starts each new season with new seeds she has planted. Throughout the year she watches them grow and blossom. What a lovely story this book tells about teaching and children.

I can't wait to give this gift to my daughter. I am sure it will be one she will treasure for years to come.

Thank you!

Pam

the perfect gift.......2007-04-19

I found this book at our local library. My kids never got the concept of the book. But it is perfect for grown ups! I am going to have each of the kids and parents from my kids preschool class sign the inside cover. Then, along with the book, we will give the teachers a large plant for their yard. That way, they will have two reminders of the influence they have had on our class.

Mrs. Spritzers Garden.......2007-02-20

I bought this book to give a fabulous pre-school teacher. If you have a teacher that has really made a difference to your young child- this might be the book for you.

Lovely book about teachers.......2007-01-12

Mrs. Spitzer is a teacher at Tremont Elementary School in Room #108. That's an important number because each year, at summer's end, the school principal brings Mrs. Spitzer a packet of seeds. All year Mrs. Spitzer tends to the seeds. She waters them, feeds them, and makes sure they have sun and room to grow. And she watches them carefully because she doesn't want pests or weeds to intrude.

And at the end of the growing season, Mrs. Spitzer is happy because she sees her seeds bloom. When the year is over, her job is complete, but the seeds that grew into beautiful flowers will keep on growing and maturing, thanks to her help.

Mrs. Spitzer knows about children and plants. She knows that they often need the same things to bloom.

When I first opened Mrs. Spitzer's Garden I thought it was a children's book (it can be enjoyed by children) but it really is a lovely thank you to that special teacher who loves and cares for your child during the school year. That teacher is much like a gardener. Very much like Mrs. Spitzer.

This is a thoughtful gift to the teacher who has touched a child's life. The illustrations are warm, cozy and inviting.

Armchair Interviews says: The perfect gift for your child's favorite teacher!

Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness Stories And Techniques Designed to Decrease Bullying, Anger, Anxiety & Obesity, While Promoting Self-esteem & Healthy ... with children ages 5-10 (Indigo Dreams)

Average customer rating:

Not many stories
A great tool for kids really anyone still working out juvenile stuff!
Doctor recommended
Bubble blowing
My husband makes fun, but my daughter loves them!

Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness Stories And Techniques Designed to Decrease Bullying, Anger, Anxiety & Obesity, While Promoting Self-esteem & Healthy ... with children ages 5-10 (Indigo Dreams)
Lori Lite
Manufacturer: LiteBooks.net LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0978778103

Book Description

Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness, narrated by Lori Lite; contains stories and techniques designed to entertain your child while empowering them to live a life of wellness. Practical, easy to follow techniques are presented in each purposeful story. Six tracks give you options! Two stories, three wellness practice sessions and a relaxing uplifting music sound track are provided.

Children learn how food choices and amounts affect mind and body with Caterpillar Choices. Affirmations support this message while building self-esteem and confidence.

The difficult issue of bullying is addressed in The Perfect Club. Any child that has encountered being teased or excluded by their peers will benefit from the techniques presented in this heartwarming story of acceptance. Various stress-management, coping strategies provide wellness benefits for any child.

The Bubble Blowing technique is particularly useful for releasing stress and anger. Children can use this technique to rid themselves of hurt feelings, anger, stress and sadness.

The Light Shield technique is particularly useful for sensitive children.Children can use their light shield to relax, cope with noisy environments and protect themselves from negativity

Indigo Dreams:Garden of Wellness is the newest CD in our "Indigo Dreams Series" and the first to be narrated by the author Lori Lite. Build your collection of books, CDs and other empowering products for children, teens and adults and watch your whole family manage stress and anxiety!

Ideal for ages 5-10 but all ages enjoy these feel good techniques!

Customer Reviews:

Not many stories.......2007-07-13

I bought this for my six year old son who has difficulty handling frustration, and sometimes has a hard time getting to sleep. He absolutely LOVES the stories on the cd, the only problem is there are only two stories. The rest of the cd talks about ways to cope with negative feelings, which were mentioned in the previous stories, and then there are a few tracks of music. My son ends up listening to only 1/4 of the cd. The stories are entertaining, but he's missing out on learning the strategies. What should have been done was to incorporate more of the instruction of the coping strategies within the body of the stories. I may eventually buy the other cd's because the stories help to keep him in bed and feeling content, but I cringe at the idea of paying money, to then use only a portion of what I paid for.

A great tool for kids really anyone still working out juvenile stuff!.......2007-05-14

I originally bought for my daughter who has some anxiety and anger issues.After listening to the CD she was practicing some of the techniques and understanding their values, I listened to the CD myself this morning and I can see why she was so positive about it! Also there is the "Light Shield" technique in which children learn to imagine an inner light shield to protect themselves from external situations where others may be making them uncomfortable emotionally. This has also help her to deal with 2 deaths close to her in our family!

Doctor recommended.......2007-03-13

My eleven year old son's ADHD Doctor recommended Lori Lite's relaxation techniques to help my son relax so he could sleep. I purchased the book A Boy and A Bear as well as the Indigo Dreams: Relaxation and Stress Management Bedtime Stories and Indigo Dreams: Garden of Wellness Stories and Techniques Designed to Decrease Bullying, Anger, Anxiety & Obesity, While Promoting Self-esteem & Healthy... CDs. Of the three products I purchased the Garden of Wellness is the CD my son picks to listen to every night. It is his favorite.
Many nights my son would still be awake at midnight distraught that he could not get to sleep, because he was unable to quiet his mind and body. The last two weeks I have seen a change in my son for the positive. He has yet to hear the end of the CD because he is asleep before the CD ends. His anger has diminished; his dread of going to school has diminished; his self-consciousness of being different has also diminished. The Garden of Wellness CD has truly helped my son on many levels of his life and I am truly grateful to Lori Lite.
I must also add the CDs have been very beneficial for me also and the children I work with on a daily bases. The two CDs and the book have helped all our lives become much more peaceful!

Bubble blowing .......2007-03-07

My 8 year old daughter loves the story entitled The Perfect Club and the bubble blowing practice session on this CD. . She said it helps her go to sleep and not be scared when she wakes up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. She says that it takes away all her bad dreams. She also feels relaxed and safe while listening to the music soundtrack. We have been using the original Indigo Dreams CD for years. My daughter treats it like gold. She exercises much caution so as not to scratch it when using her CD player for other things during the day! We are thrilled to add this CD to our collection. I can't wait til Lite Books makes other products. My daughters days were literally happier 4 years ago after ordering the first CD. I don't know if it is b/c she got more sleep or more relaxed sleep b/c the stories have coping strategies to practice and I leave it on repeat so that it plays all night long. I realized that I love things like "the Secret" a best seller right now so why not something like this for kids and it is here thru Lite Books. [...]

My husband makes fun, but my daughter loves them!.......2006-12-19

My 9 year old daughter has a difficult time with seperating from us and with transitions. Bedtime can be a trying time as she gets overtired, but wound up at the same time. We started listening to the first cd about two years ago and quickly added Ocean of Dreams (which was her favorite). I just bought Garden of Wellness and she was so happy! I prefer the voice on Ocean of Dreams (and my husband makes fun of all of the CD's), but since they work for my daughter, who cares what we think?! She willing turns out the light and lies down and when we peek in she is sound asleep. She had problems being bullied last year, so we are interested in seeing if this is helpful. She is very thin, so I hope the message about eating healthy food and staying fit will be the right one since she does not need to lose weight. She is asking me for the teen one now, too.

Disney's Little Einsteins: Farmer Annie's Garden (Disney's Little Einstein)

Average customer rating:

Annie's Garden - A Great Book for My Toddler
Lacking
Very fun!
Great book for younger kids
Fun and Sturdy

Disney's Little Einsteins: Farmer Annie's Garden (Disney's Little Einstein)
Susan Ring
Manufacturer: Disney Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0786849703

Customer Reviews:

Annie's Garden - A Great Book for My Toddler.......2007-05-13

My daughter really likes looking at this book. She enjoys telling us what things are and has fun lifting the flaps on each page.

Lacking.......2007-01-30

My 1 year old son loves the Little Einsteins show, so I bought him this book. I am sorely disappointed with the book, and my son doesn't care for it. It's a complete ripoff from the Farmer Annie's Garden episode, and doesn't add anything to it. There is only one lift flap per page. The book could use more substance.

Very fun!.......2006-12-25

My kids love Little Einsteins. We purchased this for our 3-year old, but as it turns out, our 5 and 7-year olds also enjoy it! Our oldest loves to read it to our youngest. It's a very fun book that all our kids enjoy!

Great book for younger kids.......2006-11-15

This is great for a 2 or 3 year old. Excellent storyline, but I've been spoiled by all the nifty gadgets (e.g. Rocket Magnifier and the Viewfinder) of the other books.

Fun and Sturdy.......2006-10-19

My two year old, (almost 3), LOVES little Einsteins, she was just thrilled with this book! It's a sturdy board book, so it can travel with her wherever we go, and has fun flaps that she enjoys lifting.
It's a simple to read story about planting seeds on a farm. Very cute.

Average customer rating:

Magical Garden inspired my students
Art Appreceation for children
Great for Toddlers
Breathtaking journey for children into Monet's paintings

The Magical Garden of Claude Monet
Laurence Anholt
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0764155741

Book Description

Julie is a happy little girl who lives in Paris, but she wishes she could walk in a country garden. Julie is pleased when her mother decides to take her to visit the most wonderful garden in the world, owned by a great friend of the family. They arrive at their destination, and for this little girl it is like walking in a dreamy world where twisting plants grow as tall as trees. When Julie's dog runs away, she asks the gardener to help find her pet, and soon she and the gardener are friends. But this amiable, bearded old man is a very unusual gardener, for not only does he cultivate his many plants, he also paints beautiful pictures of them. Julie has made a friend of the great impressionist painter, Claude Monet. Based on a true story about the daughter of another fine artist, Berthe Morisot, this charmingly illustrated picture book includes reproductions by author-illustrator Laurance Anholt of a famous waterlilies painting, which Monet completed in his garden at Giverny, a few miles from Paris.

Customer Reviews:

Magical Garden inspired my students.......2006-08-12

Anholt's lovely book about Monet is my favorite of the series about famous artists. He demystifies impressionism and actually inspires children to paint their own "magical gardens"!!

Art Appreceation for children.......2005-11-11

Fine art apprecation was a lost thing among adults let alone children, encouraging an understanding of art at a young age will encorage intrest in art in children and their caregivers alike. Help kids enjoy art and culture while reading a fun story. With this book, (and the others in the series) they introduce kids to the famous artworks of great painters throughout history while encoraging a childs imagination to be creative and tell a story with each picture.

This story is even better because it is based on factual people, even the little girl. She embarks on a journey with her mother to visit a friend..the little girl ends up chasing her runaway dog on the trip and finds herself in a most magnificent garden..only to find out that is the "friend" they were going to visit. This book is wonderful, historical, educational, and fun. It encourages children to think about paintings, and to form images and stories for each one, to think about "what would it be like to be inside that painting".

Great for Toddlers.......2005-08-13

The Magical Garden of Claude Monet is a great way to expose young children to impressionist art. My son loved the story of Julie in Monet's garden. Julie is a young French girl who takes a train with her Mother to visit Monet's garden. As they arrive into the countryside, her dog runs away and is found in Monet's garden. Soon the painter and Julie become friends. The illustrations are bright and colorful. You almost feel as if you are inside one of Monet's paintings. Children will be captivated by the story as well as the beautiful pictures.

Breathtaking journey for children into Monet's paintings.......2004-10-16

I have long been a fan of Linnea in Monet's Garden - so I was very excited to find this new series of books by Laurence Anholt. Anholt's approach to introducing children to these artists - he has covered Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas, and DaVinci - is to use their art to create the backgrounds and settings for his characters. This book in particular is my favorite of the series because it is crowned with a fold out of Monet's vivid Waterlilies with a tiny boat floating across it carrying the story's members - Monet and a little girl who happens upon his garden. Before it is over, the little girl plucks one of the lilies from the famous painting as a memoir. My daughter loves this picture - and it is almost surreal to me to see Monet's art coming to life in such a manner. I can hardly wait until she visits the museum and sees the real painting. Watching her make this connection should be very exciting.

Aside from this stunning mixture of Monet's work and Anholt's own lush artwork - carefully drawn to compliment the featured art - the book gives some great educational information about Monet by weaving it into the story - all this without ever starting to sound like a textbook. The story retains its' focus and its' charm without becoming boring. That is an amazing accomplishment in my opinion.

I hope to purchase the entire set for a lovely and educational Christmas gift. These are sure to become beloved classics. Any children's book that learns to entertain both child and parent equally often does.

Average customer rating:

Animals in the Garden
Mom of three boys
Perfect For Little Gardeners
Lovely!

Whose Garden Is It?
Mary Ann Hoberman
Manufacturer: Gulliver Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0152026312

Book Description

The gardener says the garden belongs to him. But the woodchuck insists that it's his. And so do the rabbit, the butterfly, the squash bug, and the bumblebee. Even the tiny seeds and whistling weeds think the garden just couldn't grow without them. As they stroll through the exquisite plants and flowers, Mrs. McGee and her child listen and wonder: Whose garden is it?
Children's book luminaries Mary Ann Hoberman and Jane Dyer reveal the secrets of a glorious garden in this beautiful and poetic rhyming read-aloud.

Customer Reviews:

Animals in the Garden.......2007-03-20

Whose Garden Is It? is written by Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by Jane Dyer. It's an enjoyable book for kindergarten and first grade. The story makes you feel that it's never going to end. And it's a really funny book.

There were some things that weren't as good such the end. The end left you one last question. That last question you'll have to read and find out. The book had some weird characters in it. And some were really grumpy.

I think the pictures were the best part because they are simple and really colorful. And some of them are a really funny like the last picture where all the people and the animals were together. And they are also big and beautiful. And some of the pictures were hilarious like the bunny in the ballet dress.

I think the author did a really great job on the book, and so did the illustrator. And here are some popular quotes from the book, "But whose garden is it," and "It's mine." And the rest you'll have to wait and see.

Those are my opinions and if you like them you should read the book. And you find the book at your public library. I'm sure you'll like it because I did. And I'm sure you will too. And if you want to know more about the book look it up

Mom of three boys.......2005-08-26

So creative - who does the garden belong to? who is the most important? Great story about everything that must be in place to create a garden.

Perfect For Little Gardeners.......2005-04-25

This is a charming book that introduces a young child to the joys of gardening. When I read it to my nearly 3-year-old grandson he likes to complete the end of each rhyme. The illustrations are so accurate that the first time I showed him hollyhocks in my garden and asked him what they were, he could tell me their name!

If you garden and have a young child in your life, this is a must read for both of you.

Lovely!.......2005-01-08

I could tell this would be a great book by the first page! The story is told in rhyme, which always makes it more fun to read to my 3 year old. I love the message of the book - that nature doesn't belong to anybody, and that every little creature has a purpose. It is one of the nicest children's books I've found.

Average customer rating:

Good Not Great
Sadly Disappointed :(
If I Ran the Zoo
Dr. Seuss at the Zoo
I remember this from my childhood.

If I Ran the Zoo (Classic Seuss)
Dr. Seuss
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394800818
Release Date: 1950-10-12

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"It's a pretty good zoo," said young Gerald McGrew, "and the fellow who runs it seems proud of it, too." But if Gerald ran the zoo, the New Zoo, McGrew Zoo, he'd see to making a change or two: "So I'd open each cage. I'd unlock every pen, let the animals go, and start over again." And that's just what Gerald imagines, as he travels the world in this playfully illustrated Dr. Seuss classic (first published back in 1950), collecting all sorts of beasts "that you don't see every day." From the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant to the blistering sands of the Desert of Zind, Gerald hunts down every animal imaginable ("I'll catch 'em in countries no one can spell, like the country of Motta-fa-Potta-fa-Pell"). Whether it's a scraggle-foot Mulligatawny or a wild-haired Iota (from "the far western part of south-east North Dakota"), Gerald amazes the world with his new and improved zoo: "This Zoo Keeper, New Keeper's simply astounding! He travels so far that you think he would drop! When do you suppose this young fellow will stop?"

But Gerald's weird and wonderful globe-trotting safari doesn't end a moment too soon: "young McGrew's made his mark. He's built a zoo better than Noah's whole Ark!" Some of the text and illustrations--imaginative as they are--are obviously dated, such as the following passage: "I'll hunt in the mountains of Zomba-ma-Tant/ With helpers who all wear their eyes at a slant,/ And capture a fine fluffy bird called the Bustard/ Who only eats custard with sauce made of mustard." And your children may be the first to recognize that attitudes have changed since the xenophobic '50s. But that doesn't mean this tale need be discarded; instead, it should be discussed. Ironically, Seuss was trying here--in his wild, explosive, and sometimes careless manner--to celebrate the joys of unconventionality and the bliss of liberation! (Ages 4 to 8)

Book Description

Illus. in color. "Young Gerald McGrew thinks of all sorts of unusual animals he'd have in a zoo. Dr. Seuss at his best."--Horn Book.

Customer Reviews:

Good Not Great.......2007-09-11

This book is very good with the exception of one thing. The book has at least one euphemism with God's name. I try to teach my children not to use God's name in vain, even when done euphemistically. Abstain from the appearance of evil. I generally admire Seuss books greatly but was a bit disappointed in this.

Sadly Disappointed :(.......2007-08-15

Let me first say that my daughter and I LOVE Dr. Seuss books. I cannot even tell you how many times I have read "If I Ran the Circus," "The Sneetches," the Horton books, plus MANY others. I can even read them with my eyes closed because I know them all so well.

I have to say that I found myself very disappointed with this book. It was partly the storyline (capturing and hunting down the animals), but it is mostly the pictures. I am not someone who is easily offended at all, but the pictures in the book of Asians and Africans were so stereotypically horrible. I realize this was written in a different time, but I just don't feel it is truly appropriate to the children of today. When we finished the book, my daughter even said, "Mommy, I didn't really like that book." I guess that was that.

If I Ran the Zoo.......2007-05-24

This is a fabulous Seuss book. I used it during Read Across America week for my Pre-K 4 class. They were enthralled by it. We did several activities - such as creating our own animals for our classroom zoo. It became a fast favorite.

Dr. Seuss at the Zoo.......2007-01-07

This is a great book. The girls of my girlfriend love the book. As soon as I sit down, they grab a book and jump in my lap.

I remember this from my childhood........2006-12-12

This was a favorite when I was a kid. For some reason I always remembered the 10 legged lion, the elephant cat, and the family of What-do-you-know!

My little girl likes this book as a companion to "If I ran a circus"

I am surprised at the claims of racism. Some people read in things that are not there. A child won't become a racist from reading this book. The drawings and the writing are fanciful. Leave it as such and you don't have anything to fear.

After all "It's the gol-darndest zoo On the face of the earth!"

Fatal Flaw: A True Story of Malice and Murder in a Small Southern Town

Average customer rating:

Killers go free....
Fatal Flaw: A True Story of Malice and Murder in a Small Southern Town, by Phillip Finch
Southern Fried Justice
Why Some Death Row Inmates Get Life?

Fatal Flaw: A True Story of Malice and Murder in a Small Southern Town
Phillip Finch
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0679408614
Release Date: 1992-10-27

Customer Reviews:

Killers go free...........2006-09-17

Have you ever stopped to think that cases such as Tommy's, whose innocence I believe in, the person or persons that committed a murder are still free to kill again?

After being involved in a case of someone I care about and having the police, prosecutors, and the judge betray that person, I started reading stories of other real life people who had also been betrayed by the police, prosecutors, judges, well... the whole "justice" system. One of the first books I read was "Fatal Flaw". After reading this book, with my heart breaking for Tommy and his mother, I contacted Tommy. He became a very dear friend of mine, as did his precious mother. Tommy has lost both his father and his mother while being in prison. I cannot think of a more hurtful thing in the world than to be in prison, an innocent person, and to lose someone you love. Not to mention Tommy's wife having been murdered, and not by him.

This book is the most wonderful book about the way the lack of justice is allowed in our country. It is easy to read, easy to follow and understand. Phillip Finch is a wonderful author who did not go into the telling of this story because he believed in Tommy's innocence. Because of his ability to do research and his honesty, he had to come to the conclusion that Tommy is innocent. If you read this story, you will see why he and others thought Tommy could be guilty. You will think... wait! I thought he is suppose to be innocent. Keep reading.

You might also think on this while reading. Other facts have come to light since the book was written to prove even further that Tommy is not just "not guilty" but totally innocent. Where are those who committed these murders? Not in prison! Does that worry you? Does it make anyone safer because "someone" is in prison for the murders? Sadly that does satisfy too many people.

Does it bother you that this can happen to anyone? Maybe you or someone you love? You might think that it never would, but if you are in the wrong place at the right time for the police, you could have evidence put together to make you or someone you love look guilty. Think about that! Read this story. You can read this book online at no cost. Do a search for Tommy Zeigler.

One thing that I would like to tell you about this book that was most shocking to me is concerning the jury. Did you know that other than physical abuse, a jury can do or say just about anything to get other jurors to change their mind. Nothing is suppose to leave the jury room about what is said or done during the trial. Nothing is recorded. In this book you will learn how a juror was allowed to hold a gun to another juror's head and pull the trigger. This woman was a hold out for "not guilty". The juror wanted her to change her mind. The woman tried to tell the judge, but he would not allow the woman to talk. He did not want a mistrial. Finally the woman managed to get a message to the judge. He had a doctor write her a prescription for Valium and she was told to take the medication. She finally could hold out no longer, and caved in from the pressure, never believing Tommy was guilty.

Tommy is innocent. The system is flawed. Real killers are going free. Is that okay with you? What if you are the next person that gets murdered because of a case like this, convicting an innocent person, especially when the state knows the person on trial is innocent. How sad and scary! How unfair for the innocent and it brings no justice for the victims that are killed.

Fatal Flaw: A True Story of Malice and Murder in a Small Southern Town, by Phillip Finch.......2005-09-08

A true-crime account involving the brutal murders of a wife, her parents, and a by-stander, this book could also fall into the cold case category as unsolved. The convicted, William Thomas Zeigler, is presently on death row, appeals exhausted, but still hoping for justice. Through the years he has had a large number of supporters, legal, forensic, and others interested in his appalling situation who believe he should be exonerated. The reader will be shocked at the magnitude of the crime, the investigation(s), and the astonishing conclusions.

Southern Fried Justice.......2003-05-26

That Southern justice can be an oxymoron is no surprise. But this book lays out in stunning detail how the system can close ranks to create an impenetrable thicket of corruption. It methodically deconstructs the state's case to reveal a disturbing array of official misinformation, mistakes and misconduct. The case is no less pertinent today, almost 30 years later, for the defendant still resides on death row. Perhaps the most stunning aspect is that the case has never been successfully appealed as it wended its way North through Federal courts. One suspects that the trial of a wealthy white businessman who killed his wife and three bystanders for insurance hardly makes even the most strident card-carrying ACLU member's heart race. Indeed, a drug dealer who murdered a policeman has more success in the courtroom - overturning a case on nearly identical grounds under which the defendant's is not. How did he find himself in the Kafkaesque struggle? He broke perhaps the highest law of the deep South one year earlier by coming to the defense of a black man. The guilt in this frightening indictment of our legal process does not end with the defendant: It does not even begin there. Unfortunately, however, neither does it end with the original perpetrators of the crime. If you liked "The Thin Blue Lie", you will love this book.

Why Some Death Row Inmates Get Life?.......1999-04-07

In 1975, Winter Garden, Florida was a small, one-horse migrant labor and truck stop town bypassed by the supposed prosperity brought to Central Florida by the Disney Company. Spared the rapicious raping of the Kissimmee-St Cloud area, with its swamp draining killing of animals, Winter Garden remained as it had been--a lower class white working community dependent on trucking and citrus for its existence.

Enter William Thomas Zeigler who, by the author's own description drove oldsmobiles and detested rock and roll music. Unknown to many residents, the Zeigler family wealth stood at just over one million dollars--a princely sum in the 1970s. The quiet, modest veneer of the Zeigler family was broken by the existence of sexual problems between Tommy and Eunice Zeigler. Two weeks before the murder of Eunice, the couple stopped having intercourse with Eunice threatening to go to a fertility specialist in Orlando. Rumors abounded that Tommy was homosexual and a member of a sex ring of important local men. The author points out that Zeigler commited two unforgiveable crimes. One, he helped a black man retain a liquor license in the face of local and state opposition. Two, he helped break up a loan sharking ring manned by members of the Orange County (Orlando) Sherrif's Department. Later that year, the Sherrif, Dave Starr, resigned under pressure and his chief deputy, Leigh MacEachern, wne to jail convicted of charges of official corruption.

Finch outlines in great detail the malfeasance of police and prosecutors. First, sherrif's deputies trampled evidence at the crime scene. Later, judges and FBI authorities joined in to complete a fait accompli ensuring the swift journey of Mr. Zeigler to Florida's death row, where he remains to this day. Despite having two of the finest criminal defense lawyers in orlando--Ed Kirkland and Terry Hadley, Zeigler stood no chance of even getting a routine continuance or investigator access to the crime scene. Additionally, Finch outlines how key witnesses were not interviewed nor called to trial leaving the reader no doubt that the fix was in. Finch leaves the reader wondering an age-old question--how can a nation that calls itslef a democracy allow such malfeasance in its criminal justice system?

I have a special interest in this book having lived in Orlando at the time of the crime and having visited the crime scene as recently as last year. Finch has written an important, readable indictment of southern justice.

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