General Books - Page 10

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl (Pacemaker Classics)

Anne Frank

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 636 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Face of the Faceless 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

After I visited the building in Amsterdam where Anne Frank and her family had to hide during WWII, I finally decided to read her famous diary for myself. And I have to say: I was impressed. The book works very well on a variety of levels:

As History
This is an important historical witness of how the daily life of a teenager was restricted and finally squashed by the Nazi regime in Amsterdam. The humanity of Anne's daily thoughts - free-flowing and turbulent - make for a stark contrast to Hitler's cold machinery of might and control. Anne does not embody a perfect human but a real human. She becomes the face for all the faceless who were sucked into a totalitarian system.

As Literature
Considering that the diary is written by a thirteen to fifteen year-old, it is incredibly well written. The Nazis have deprived the world of a witty, pensive and creative writer.

As Psychology
Anne's diary is filled with insights into human nature. Her reflections on herself and her fellow humans are detailed and instructive, sometimes consciously so and sometimes unconsciously by eloquently voicing the feelings of someone her age.

As Child Education
This is an important book both for teenagers and parents. Anne's honesty about her feelings, development (physical and otherwise), problems and joys might help teenagers to deal better with their own development - and parents might be moved by Anne to more sympathy for that age group.

In short, this is essential reading, and ideal when discussing the Holocaust and the Second World War with a young teenager.

Editorial Review:

The compelling diary of a young girl on the brink of maturity as her life draws to toward its tragic end -- one of the most moving and vivid documents of the Jewish experience.

A Wrinkle in Time

Madeleine L'Engle

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 79 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Wonderful read 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I read this book as a young child, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is worth reading over and over, and I would recommend it for all ages.

Editorial Review:

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

School's Out - Forever (Maximum Ride, Book 2)

James Patterson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 119 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A 5-star listen for Young Adults 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is the second installment of the Maximum Ride series, picking up right after The Angel Experiment. I would suggest you listen to them in order to avoid any confusion in the plotline.

Maximum Ride: Schools out Forever starts right where The Angel Experiment left off, continuing with the six genetically engineered children being chased by their main enemies, the Erasers, a wolf/human hybrid. Max, Fang, Iggy, Gasman, Nudge and Angle continue to evade the predators in each city they visit. Max continues to be plagued by the death of their main Eraser pursuer named Ari, who might or might not be her biological brother. She also continues to hear the Voice in her head, and is confused as to who or what it is.

Along the way, they meet a seemingly kind woman, who just happens to be a high-ranking FBI agent, who enrolls them in a normal school where Max feels as though she's an outcast. Max and her fellow winged children end up releasing a bunch of other genetically altered animals onto the city, which doesn't go very far, except they adopt a dog that Angel has become attached to. He seems like your normal, run-of-the-mill puppy, until he opens his mouth and talks! You will enjoy the story and become enthralled in narrator Valentina De Angelis' portrayal of each individual child... including the dog! She did a beautiful job of putting emotion and feeling behind the key points in the story. I also enjoyed the sound effects and musing during the telling of the tale. The only negative thing about this listening experience was the music. I couldn't tell if it was the end of the disc or the end of a chapter.

Overall, it was a wonderful listening experience!

Armchair Interviews says: Another good listen for Young Adults.

Editorial Review:

"Adventure, fighting, backstabbing and love abound" (VOYA) in this action-packed follow-up to the #1 New York Times blockbuster MAXIMUM RIDE: THE ANGEL EXPERIMENT, now available in paperback. The heart-stopping quest of six winged kids--led by fourteen-year-old Max--to find their parents and investigate the mind-blowing mystery of their ultimate destiny continues when they're taken under the wing of an FBI agent and attempt, for the first time, to live "normal" lives. But going to school and making friends doesn't stop them from being relentlessly hunted by sinister spies, who lead Max to face her most frightening match yet: a new and better version of herself.

The Underneath

Kathi Appelt

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Cats -> Fiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road.

A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become an unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe in the Underneath...as long as they stay in the Underneath.

Kittens, however, are notoriously curious creatures. And one kitten's one moment of curiosity sets off a chain of events that is astonishing, remarkable, and enormous in its meaning. For everyone who loves Sounder, Shiloh, and The Yearling, for everyone who loves the haunting beauty of writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Flannery O'Connor, and Carson McCullers, Kathi Appelt spins a harrowing yet keenly sweet tale about the power of love -- and its opposite, hate -- the fragility of happiness and the importance of making good on your promises.

Sugar Plum Ballerinas #1: Plum Fantastic

Whoopi Goldberg, Deborah Underwood

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Performing Arts -> Dance -> Fiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Book review of "Sugar Plums and Ballerinas" 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I learned about this book, authored by Whoopie Goldberg, while the
watching the "View" and decided to give it a try.
This is a wonderful story that my granddaughter just loves. She is now four, knows the characters by name and though she can read some, asks me to read from the book all the time.
Mike Colgan

Welcome new addition to old genre 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

There are many kids' books out there about ballerina wannabes, but this one, by Whoopi Goldberg and Deborah Underwood, features an interesting twist--the girl in question would really much rather skate, but is pushed into ballet by her mother. Alexandrea Petrakova Johnson, despite her name, is not at all the tutu and leotard type, but reluctantly agrees to give ballet school a try after she moves with her single mother from Georgia to New York City.
It's very difficult at first, but with the help of her mother and friends she gradually comes to improve at and enjoy ballet, along the way giving an unexpected boost to her mother's career. Should appeal to many preteen girls.

Editorial Review:

Alexandrea Petrakova Johnson does not want to be a beautiful ballerina, and she does not want to leave her friends in Apple Creek. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop her ballet-crazy mother from moving them to Harlem, or from enrolling Al at the Nutcracker School of Ballet.

Life is hard when you're the new ballerina on the block, and it's even harder when you're chosen to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school recital! Not only is Al a terrible dancer, but she's also got a rotten case of stage fright! Al's ballet classmates are going to have to use all the plum power they've got to coach this scary fairy!

Spyology (Ologies)

Spencer Blake

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths -> Stories

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A book that children (and adults) can easily get lost in! 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

"Spying is one of the oldest professions in the world: evidence dates back millennia (which is truly unfortunate for a secret activity should leave no trace)."

The art of spying and secret identities is one of those typical and wonderfully creative childhood fantasies. With SPYOLOGY, young people now have a fun and fascinating introduction and guide to the fantasy. This large book is chock-a-block full of information, games and stories to inspire and challenge. Like all the volumes in the 'Ologies series, readers will come across fantastic illustrations and flaps and pockets galore in these pages. The red jewel on the cover is even a "magnifying filter decoder" that can be used to find hidden messages and pictures in the book.

SPYOLOGY, the publisher tells us, is actually a declassified document. It was the book of a spy named "Spencer Blake" on a top-secret mission that no nation will claim. The first thing spies-in-training will find is the mission he received, still in the envelope marked "top secret."

Mixed in with Blake's notes is information on a variety of spycraft topics such as secret intelligence organizations, disguises, surveillance, codes, information gathering, gadgets, the history of spying and much more. There are several short case studies, spy glasses for disguise tucked neatly in a pocket, paper clues and pieces of ephemera. There are also codes to crack and secret messages, notes and letters to and from Spencer Blake, bills of counterfeit money and a wheel to decipher codex codes.

SPYOLOGY can be read as an adventure story, as a manual for learning the craft of espionage, or leafed through item by item as it catches the reader's eye. It is a book that children (and adults) can easily get lost in!

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

Editorial Review:

A spy reveals startling secrets and carries out a breathless mission — in an astonishing guide that takes the 'Ologies to a new level.

The year is 1958, and British spy Spencer Blake, aka "Agent K," is on an undercover mission to expose a deadly criminal organization. As he traverses the globe with his American and Soviet cohorts — from Scotland to Berlin to Las Vegas to Cuba — he furtively records his secret techniques in a manual for new recruits.

Once they've primed themselves on the essentials of spy craft, keen-eyed readers will discover that Agent K has been setting them challenges and clues to decipher all along. If they are clever enough to unravel them all, a great reward awaits!

Of Mice and Men (Literature Made Easy Series)

Ruth Coleman, Tony Buzan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1110 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Worst Book I have Ever Read 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I did not like this book at all. I had to read it in eighth grade. It was so difficult to understand the interactions between the characters. Although the story itself was okay, it was nothing special at all and it isn't something I would look forward to reading. The WORST part is the end, it's VERY SAD. It's the WORST ending I have ever read in a book. I was hoping the book would end happy, but, just like the rest of the book, the ending sucks as well. I don't get how these books become famous. Maybe an adult would like it, but definitely not someone who is in middle school or high school. If you are a teenager, read something like realistic fiction that takes place in a school setting or at least in a more modern setting. Something that is interesting to what you do. Or something like a mystery or a fantasy. I don't get how a book this bad (in my opinion) could become SO famous. This is probably because this is a book ADULTS read and it shouldn't be read by kids my age. If you are unfortunate to have to read this book, GOOD LUCK. Hopefully you will like it, but I only recommend this to adults who like difficult classic "literature" style books.

Editorial Review:

TheLiterature Made Easy Series is more than just plot summaries. Each book describes a classic novel and drama by explaining themes, elaborating on characters, and discussing each author's unique literary style, use of language, and point of view. Extensive illustrations and imaginative, enlightening use of graphics help to make each book in this series livelier, easier, and more fun to use than ordinary literature plot summaries. An unusual feature, "Mind Map" is a diagram that summarizes and interrelates the most important details that students need to understand about a given work. Appropriate for middle and high school students.

Monsterology: The Complete Book of Monstrous Beasts

Ernest Dr Drake

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths -> Dragons

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great for big imaginations! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book, this whole series, is great for my kids. They are masterpieces of great beauty, and I recommend the whole "ology" series for children and adults alike.

Editorial Review:

A second major volume by the esteemed Dr. Drake — a lavish exploration of fantastical beasts, from yetis to unicorns

Do krakens really lurk below the ocean waves? Do griffins command the air above? In a fascinating new discovery sure to rival the ground-breaking DRAGONOLOGY, the intrepid Dr. Ernest Drake turns his inquisitive gaze from dragons to other so-called mythical creatures. Included are:

* a removable letter from Dr. Drake
* multiple foldouts, flaps, and pull-outs
* textured "samples," including sea serpent skin and a feather from a winged horse
* sundry booklets — including riddles to tell a sphinx
* a cabinet of curiosities containing yeti fur, a hippogriff feather, and more

For anyone who has ever wondered whether legendary beasts still wander among us, this lush look at an astounding array of creatures offers everything a true believer would want to know.

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys, and Their Monkey Business

Esphyr Slobodkina

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 74 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

love this book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book as a child and I love sharing it with my children.

Me and my 2.5 year old son love this book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book for kids, even young ones around 2.5 years old. It's an engaging story and my son loves the part where the man wakes up to find his hats gone, and looks up and sees all the monkeys wearing the hats! He asks me to read it everynight, and remembers the phrase "caps for sale."

Wow...timewarp 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Seeing this book for sale brought me back to when I was a kid. I have the hardcover from back in the late 70's. After all this time it sticks out a one of my favorites. If you have the chance I would definitely pick up a copy.

Wonderful through the generations 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My father remembers reading this book when he was a child and now my daughter has become a fan. It's an adorable book with a simple story. I recommend it.

Editorial Review:

Caps for Sale is a timeless classic, in print for over fifty years, and beloved by generations of readers. This easy-to-read story about a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity. Children will delight in following the peddlers efforts to outwit the monkeys in this new, enlarged, and redesigned edition, and will ask to read it again and again.

Hatchet

Gary Paulsen

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( P ) -> Paulsen, Gary

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1165 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An Exciting Survival Story 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Hatchet is one of Gary Paulsen's finest works. I think his goal was to establish a great young adult novel that is easy to become immersed in. He looks to create a book that is enjoyable and also has a lot of useful information about life in the wilderness.
Paulsen, a writer from Minneapolis, writes young adult novels usually about nature. He has written over 200 books, short stories, magazine articles, and plays. He enjoys dog sled racing and has participated in many Iditarod races.
Brian Robeson is trapped in the Canadian wilderness with nothing more than the clothes on his back and a hatchet, given to him by his divorced mother before his trip. He crashes from a bush plane after the pilot has a heart attack and the plane runs out of fuel. He is forced to eat whatever he can find, which includes fish, turtle eggs, wild berries, and a few birds. Isolated from any outside help, Brian must find out on his own by making fire by hitting flint with more flint and other survival tactics. Many dangers seem to get in Brian's way as he tries to get by until he can be rescued. Among these dangers, Brian must face a porcupine, a moose, and even a tornado. Will he survive the elements and get rescued or will the wilderness be too much for him to handle?
I feel that Gary Paulsen has achieved his goal with flying colors. You could read this book over and over again and still find inspiration from it. Hatchet sparked the mind with exciting conflicts and kept me entertained from cover to cover. I felt that Hatchet has a certain special touch that no other writer could compare. If you are ever stuck in the wilderness, do not look for a survival guide, look for Hatchet. It will teach you more about the wild than most guides out there.

Editorial Review:

ALONE

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent's divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.

For twenty years Gary Paulsen's award-winning contemporary classic has been the survival story with which all others are compared. This new edition, with a reading group guide, will introduce a new generation of readers to this page-turning, heart-stopping adventure.