General Books

Rocks & Minerals (DK Eyewitness Books)

DK Publishing

Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $9.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DK CHILDREN Amazon Marketplace: 20 new & used starting at $6.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Study Aids -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Perfect for young children. 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

My son is six years old and this book captivated him for a good four nights, a few pages a night, for his bedtime story. It is very visually appealing with vividly colored pictures and thick glossy pages. It is written very well, easy for a young child to understand, yet filled with information about rocks and minerals. I have to read it to my child as he's not an independent reader yet, but an independent reader would also really enjoy this book. It is made for children but not at all "babyish." A great way to either learn about rocks and minerals, or introduce a child to non fiction.

I'm very impressed with this book and will be purchasing more DK Eye Wonder titles. I've looked at their other titles and they all look like wonderful books.

Editorial Review:

Perfect for getting ahead at school or just stimulating children's interest, this groundbreaking series of workbooks leaves the competition in the dust, with exciting subjects, 48 full-color pages, a turn-and-learn info wheel, and special carrying folders. Never before have there been workbooks with so many opportunities for fun and interactive learning!

This book helps kids take their knowledge of rocks and minerals to the next level, from simple limestone to shimmering gems.

20,000 Leagues Under/Sea \Adv (Crayola Kids Adventures)

Golden Books

List Price: $3.99 By: Golden Books Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $3.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Study Aids -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 186 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Wow 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I read this book many years ago and still have the book. This is a thought-provoking book, and I can honestly say that it's one of the best books that I have ever read in my whole life. There is much to be thought about in this book, and I intend to reread this book so I can appreciate it all over again. Truly, this book is one of these classics that must be preserved always, for the wonderful writing and lessons contained therein.

Shows its age 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unfortunately, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" shows its age. While the story is, actually, quite good, the language is somewhat stilted and the book takes a while to really get going. I think many young readers will be puzzled by the vocabulary and will be bored. Eventually, the story picks up. However, I was bored in the 1950's and cannot imagine that today's youngsters will do much better. I think that the Walt Disney movie is a much better bet if you want to expose your child to a story that was a true classic. This is one of the few cases where a movie has an advantage over the written word.

Editorial Review:

Trapped aboard a fantastic submarine with a mad sea captain, a French professor and his companions come face to face with exotic ocean creatures and strange, forbidden sights hidden from the world above. This is the classic deep sea adventure from the world's first and best science-fiction author.

Brain Quest Workbook: Kindergarten (Brain Quest)

Lisa Trumbauer

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Workman Publishing Company - Model: 14912 Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $4.36

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Language Arts -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent activity book for young kids 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I've seen a lot of products like this, but this is by far the most comprehensive and entertaining for kids. The book is divided into the following sections:

ABCs: 3-4 activities per letter that reinforce letter recognition through mazes, letter tracing, coloring, and practice writing both lowercase and uppercase letters

Phonics: reinforces word and sound recognition with activities like 'circle the pictures that begin with A', identifying the short vowel sounds, and sounding out rhyming words

Spelling and Vocabulary: activities focus on the sight words: I, my, you, and, a, the, is, are, he, she, see, go

Numbers (up to 12): similar to the ABC section but focusing on numbers and counting

Shapes and Colors: identification of colors and shapes

Patterns: takes the shapes/colors section a step furhter by introducing pattern recognition

Sorting and Matching: takes the patterns section a step furhter with activities like 'match the baby animals to their mothers'

Time and Money: identifying time on a clock face, practice writing time (12:00), circle the correct time for each clock, reading time on a digital clock vs a standard clock face, identifying and counting money

Community: identifying different community buildings and professions, writing your own address

Science: identifying the 5 senses, the 4 seasons, recycling, plant growth, animal habitats

Fun and Games: to wrap it all up, there is an extra fun section with more mazes, dot to dots, cut out flash cards, etc

The back of the book also has reward stickers and a pull out picture of a clock to which you can add moveable hands and hang on your wall

I can't get over all the activities jam packed into over 300, easy to pull out, pages. You would have to buy several different activity books to capture all of the lessons included here; and the sections on community and science you rarely find in books like this at all.

When I saw these books on Amazon, I debated whether to go with the Kindergaren book vs the Preschool book for my 4 year old. I decided to go with the K level and figured if it were over his head I'd put it away for a year. I am really glad I went with the K level. There are definitely sections that are a little too hard right now(like the time and money, spelling and vocabulary, etc). But there are SO MANY activites he can do right now, and I know that we'll grow with this book over the next several months.

Finally, as for whether kids like the book, my son practically grabbed the book out of my hands when it came in the mail. He immediately ran and got a fist full of colored pencils and came running over and said 'can we do it right now mommy?'. And so we did.

Editorial Review:

Jam-packed with hundreds of curriculum-based activities, exercises and games in every subject, Brain Quest Kindergarten Workbook reinforces what kids are learning in the classroom. The workbook’s lively layout and easy-to-follow explanations make learning fun, interactive, and concrete. Plus it’s written to help parents follow and explain key concepts. Includes ABCs, 123s, mazes, “paint by letters,” sorting games, phonics, shapes and colors, money, telling time, and much, much more.

Brain Quest Workbook: Pre-K (Brain Quest)

Liane Onish

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Workman Publishing Company - Model: 14961 Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $4.36

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Baby-3 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Language Arts -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Amazing collection of activities 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I thought this would be an excellent book for my 4-year-old. He likes to do "homework" when his older brother does his. This book has been perfect for him.

Packed with hundreds of pages, the age appropriateness of the tasks is right on track for a preschooler. My son just turned 4 this month and has only been in school since August and has been easily able to complete the pages.

Although the book goes from easy to more challenging lessons, I've let my son pick the page he wants to complete. We haven't had any problems with certain sections being too difficult for him.

One of the aspects I like most about this book is repetition. There are several pages of like work in each section. This allows the children to practice concepts more than once, thus reinforcing them. It is also a great self-esteem booster for the child to confidently finish a page. My son also likes to review the work he's done and explain to others what he did.

Overall a great book and I'm giving it 5-stars because we've been using this for almost three weeks and my son still hasn't become bored with it yet. I'm going to be ordering the other books in the series to save for him as he ages. Well done Brain Quest!

Editorial Review:

Jam-packed with hundreds of curriculum-based activities, exercises and games in every subject, Brain Quest Pre-K Workbook reinforces what kids are learning in the classroom. The workbook's lively layout and easy-to-follow explanations make learning fun, interactive, and concrete. Plus it's written to help parents follow and explain key concepts. Includes ABCs, 123s, tracing letters, mazes, shapes, colors, beginning sounds, sorting and matching, "what's wrong with this picture" games, and much, much more.

Colors and Shapes (Puzzle Place Workbooks)

School Zone Publishing Company Staff

List Price: $2.99 By: School Zone Publishing Company Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $2.97

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Study Aids -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 1.0 of 5

Color and Shapes Flash Cards 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The colors are weird...not the typical reds, greens, etc. The only color that is true and basic to nature is black. The shapes, also, are very limited. I thought there would be a wider variety of shapes. I bought the cards, but I don't even use them. I wasted my money.

Editorial Review:

Smart squares helps make kids smart!,This inventive new series combines basic math and language concepts with the fun of constructing puzzles! Kids solve problems by matching letters, numbers, colors, and shapes to complete the simple puzzles. Each Smart Square is color-coded for easy sorting. Choose from six fun-to-play titles. Each title includes four 9-piece puzzles.

Brain Quest Workbook: Grade 1 (Brain Quest)

Lisa Trumbauer

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Workman Publishing Company - Model: 14914 Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $3.86

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Language Arts -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Grand Daughter Loved It 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

We gave this to our 1st grade grand daughter. Our daughter's comment when we asked her for feedback? "She devoured it!" She absolutely loved it, and her mom found her going from section to section excitedly. She's very intelligent and ahead of many in her age group, yet the book was not so simple that she just breezed through everything - she was challenged at a number of points. I will not hesitate to consider the other grade-level books in the series for our other grand children, based on the reception this one received. There were no negative comments by our daughter about this book at all, as she watched her daughter go through it. She said that the day it arrived, she sat down with it almost immediately after school and stayed with it for quite a while, rather than wanting to go play, or do something else - it was that interesting to her. Obviously someone very familiar with the needs and wants of 1st graders developed this book, not just someone sticking a "first grade" level on a book they thought had the material a first grader should have. It's not too easy, yet not too hard as to cause loss of interest, and it generates interest in the material because of the format in which it's presented. Based on our grand daughter's response to it, it clearly rates all 5 stars.

Editorial Review:

Jam-packed with hundreds of curriculum-based activities, exercises and games in every subject, Brain Quest Grade 1 Workbook reinforces what kids are learning in the classroom. The workbook's lively layout and easy-to-follow explanations make learning fun, interactive, and concrete. Plus it's written to help parents follow and explain key concepts. Includes phonics, spelling, vocabulary, find the rhyme, addition, subtraction, skip counting, time, money, maps, science, brain boxes, and much, much more.

Hamlet (Barron's Book Notes)

William Shakespeare, Tessa Krailing

Amazon Price: $3.95 List Price: $3.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Barron's Educational Series Amazon Marketplace: 58 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Performing Arts -> Theater -> History & Criticism
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Literary Criticism & Collections
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Study Aids -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 154 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

To thine own self be true ... 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHIEFLY PERTAINS TO THE NEW FOLGER LIBRARY EDITION.

William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is arguably the most famous play ever written in the English language; it presents the world with questions and characters that have been the subject of thespian and scholarly debate ever since the Prince of Denmark's first appearance on the stage of London's Globe Theatre. Probably written and first performed in 1601 (estimates vary between 1600 and 1602), the play draws on Saxo Grammaticus's late 12th/early 13th century chronicle "Gesta Danorum," which includes a popular legend with a similar plot centering around a prince named Amleth; as well as several more contemporaneous sources, primarily Francois de Belleforest's "Histoires Tragiques, Extraicts des Oeuvres Italiennes de Bandel" (1559-1580), which expands on the story told in the "Gesta Danorum," and a lost play known as the "Ur-Hamlet" (i.e., original "Hamlet"), sometimes also attributed to Shakespeare, but equally likely written by a different author a few decades earlier. Another work frequently cited in this context is 16th century playwright Thomas Kyd's "Spanish Tragedie."

Pursuant to Shakespeare's wishes and like all of his works, "Hamlet" was not immediately published, and the original manuscript did not survive. However, in the absence of copyright laws or other forms of protection of what today would be called the playwright's intellectual property rights, first bootleg copies (so-called quartos) based on transcripts made during or after performances began to appear in 1603. Yet, it would not be until 1623 - seven years after Shakespeare's 1616 death - that his former fellow actors John Hemmings and Henry Condell published 36 of his plays (including this one) in a collection known as the First Folio.

As no print version of any of Shakespeare's plays has a bona fide claim to its author's first-hand blessings, ever since the Bard's death the world is left with numerous questions about his characters' motivations and psychological makeup; first and foremost, in this particular case: who is this Prince of Denmark anyway, and what's driving him - is he a reluctant suicide or reluctant avenger? A Renaissance man? Wrecked by Freudian guilt? Genuinely mad, or merely putting on a clever act of deception? Or is he someone else entirely? - Indeed, we're even left in doubt as to what exactly it was that Shakespeare meant his characters to say, with all attendant interpretative consequences: Does the Prince wish for his "too too sullied" or his "too too solid" flesh to "melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew" in his first major soliloquy (Act I, Scene 2)? Does he really contemplate "the stamp of [that] one defect" which may fatally taint the perception of a man's other virtues, "be they as pure as grace," before meeting his father's ghost (I, 4)? Does Polonius, when sending Reynaldo on a spying mission after Laertes, refer to his scheme as "a fetch of wit" or "a fetch of warrant" (II, 1)? Do Hamlet's musings in "To be, or not to be" (III, 1) concern "enterprises of great pith and moment" or "of great pitch and moment," whose "currents turn awry and lose the name of action" by his doubts? Does or doesn't the sight of the Norwegian army while Hamlet is on his way to England (IV, 4) prompt him, who has so far failed to carry out his purpose, to reflect "How all occasions do inform against me," and conclude his soliloquy with the vow "from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth"?

How you answer any of these questions, and how you consequently view the play's characters, depends in no small part on the text you read. Like all Folger Shakespeare editions, this one is based on what the editors have deemed the "best early printed version," while allowing the reader a unique direct comparison of the principal reliable versions by including a text essentially combining these versions, with unobtrusive markers characterizing those passages appearing only in one particular version. For "Hamlet," the editors eschewed the play's very first (1603) quarto, which was possibly compiled by a journeyman actor and whose inconsistencies with all subsequent versions (textually as well as plot-wise and even regarding character names) have caused it to be generally considered a "bad" quarto, in favor of the 1604 Second Quarto, which some even believe to be based on Shakespeare's own first draft of the play and which, in any event, while more extensive than the 1623 First Folio (in turn, thought to be closest to the version(s) actually produced on the Globe Theatre stage), boasts about as secure a claim of authenticity as the latter. In some instances, the text follows the Second Quarto (Q2) without visually alerting the reader to the differences vis-a-vis the First Folio (F1), thus compelling those more used to the latter version to seek out the extensive end notes to reassure themselves that (in the examples given above) it might indeed be "solid flesh," "warrant," and "pith and moment" (F1) instead of "sullied flesh," "wit," and "pitch and moment" (Q2). In other instances, however, the First Folio's language (clearly marked as such) is given preference over that of the Second Quarto; while crucially, the text also includes all those passages *only* contained in the latter, including the "stamp of one defect" and "bloody thoughts" monologues, whose interpretation has such a direct bearing on many a reader's understanding of Hamlet's character.

The text is amplified by illustrations and annotations for those unfamiliar with 16th century English, scene-by-scene plot summaries, a short biography of Shakespeare, and introductory and concluding essays on this and the Bard's other plays and on Shakespearean theatre, as well as extensive suggestions for further reading, and a key to the play's most famous lines. While it is unlikely that after 400 years of debate any one version, be it in print, on stage or on screen, will be able to generate unanimous acceptance as the "definitive" rendition of this complex play, this is an excellent starting point for an in-depth excursion into the Prince of Denmark's world.

Also recommended:
The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
BBC Shakespeare Tragedies DVD Giftbox
Olivier's Shakespeare - Criterion Collection (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III)
William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Grigori Kozintsev's Hamlet
Hamlet
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Peter Brook's King Lear
Richard III
Julius Caesar

Editorial Review:

A guide to reading "Hamlet" with a critical and appreciative mind. Includes background on the author's life and times, sample tests, term paper suggestions, and a reading list.

National Geographic Bee Official Study Guide, 3rd edition (National Geographic Bee Official Study Guide)

Stephen F. Cunha

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: National Geographic Children's Books Amazon Marketplace: 20 new & used starting at $5.23

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Issues -> Social Skills

Editorial Review:

The latest edition of the guide book every Bee contestant needs to compete with confidence is here. The National Geographic Bee Official Study Guide will help kids in grades four through eight prepare for the Society’s prestigious annual geography competition. Featuring maps, photos, graphs, and a variety of questions actually used in past Bees, plus an extensive resource section, this guide not only reviews geographic facts but also helps readers recognize themes, identify clues that lead to correct answers, and understand how geographers think. In the Third Edition all statistics have been revised to reflect the most up-to-date figures. New question rounds have been added along with new tips on how to study from previous Bee winners. Resources have been fully reviewed to ensure the most current information about all things geographic.

This completely revised edition of our authoritative study guide will help geography students prepare to compete for college scholarships totaling $50,000 in the annual National Geographic Bee. With informative text and a user-friendly layout, the Study Guide is the ultimate expert resource for sharpening geography skills. This excellent guide, which provides facts and explains the concepts behind geography, is the only source book officially sanctioned by the National Geographic Bee.

Your first question is easy: Do you have the latest edition of this essential geography resource on your shelf?

Macbeth (No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novels) (No Fear Shakespeare Illustrated)

SparkNotes Editors

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: SparkNotes Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $5.54

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Performing Arts -> Drama & Theater -> Plays, Skits & Musicals
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Study Aids -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> Study Aids -> General AAS

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

No need to avoid Shakespeare anymore 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I consider myself to be a reasonably literate individual but, I have always avoided Shakespeare since I cannot make sense of the text. But now, I have fianally read Macbeth because, with "No Fear Shakespeare," each left hand page is written in the original whereas the right hand page is a plain English translation. So now I know, that when a porter says "it makes him stand to and not stand to," he is not referring about someone standing up on his feet. Instead, it means that alcoholic drinks make a man have an erection but then, lose the erection. How true is that and how cool is it to be able to understand that? Seriously, Macbeth is a great tale of ambition, deception and conscience. Thanks to this innovative book, I was able to read the original, then, after reading each page, I referred to the translation so I could understand. It was fun to read lines in the original, try to work out what I thought it meant and then check whether I was right. I recommend this as a way finally read and appreciate Macbeth.

Editorial Review:

No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novels is a series based on the translated texts of the plays found in No Fear Shakespeare. The original No Fear series made Shakespeare’s plays much easier to read, but these dynamic visual adaptations are impossible to put down. Each of the titles is illustrated in its own unique style, but all are distinctively offbeat, slightly funky, and appealing to teen readers. Each book will feature:

 

Illustrated cast of characters A helpful plot summary Line-by-line translations of the original play Illustrations that show the reader exactly what’s happening in each scene—making the plot and characters even clearer than in the original No Fear Shakespeare books

Super Study Skills: The Ultimate Guide to Tests and Studying (Scholastic Guides (Sagebrush))

Laurie Rozakis

Amazon Price: $17.50 List Price: $17.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Topeka Bindery Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $12.70

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 9-12 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Educational -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

For students who want better grades, a good book 5 out of 5 stars.
104 of 105 people found this review helpful.

I have now reviewed 10 study skills books for middle and upper school students. This is one of the best.

Rozakis writes for the young student, middle or upper school, and gives immediate and practical suggestions about how to study "smart," (e.g., set goals, get organized, set up a study center, improving one's memory); reading for success; preparing for a test; test-taking skills; and mastering specific kinds of tests (T/F, multiple-choice, etc.). Rozakis has no specific section for studying math, but her emphasis on organization, preparing, rehearsing, and so forth, can be transferred easily.

Teachers can use this for a class-wide book in study skills.

For older students (late high school and college), you may want to see Study power: Study skills to improve your learning and your grades, by William R. Luckie and Wood Smethurst, which I found to be geared quite well for that age group.

Rozakis' book is far better than the one offered by Teacher Created Materials (Middle School Study Skills). It also is better than Judith Dodge's The Study Skills Handbook (Grades 4-8), and Margaret Nuzum's Study Skills that Stick (with the exception that Nuzum specifically mentions math study skills).

I hope this helps.

Editorial Review:

Super Study Skills shows students how to: Make the most of their time by getting organized Read more effectively Prepare for a test without last-minute panic Take tests with confidence and skill . . . and study smarter for the grades they want.It also provides short answer and essay test hints so kids will be prepared for any test they have to take.