General Books - Page 4

Grossology

Sylvia Branzei

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

My GIRLS like it too! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

The perfect learning book for kids ages 6-10.
Girls are not exempt from loving gross.

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

This is a great book. It uses all the correct terms, shows the child how to say the word, and presents the facts in a fun and easy way for children to understand, not to mention a few giggles to boot! I bought the Grossology and you book also!.

Make science fun! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Who says science has to be boring? Our kids (7, 6, 4) are about the ideal ages (better for the 7 year old than the 4 year old though). Our daughter enjoyed it as much as our sons - don't think it is just for boys. Kids have an odd fascination with all of the topics in the book (e.g., snot). The grossness draws them in, and the text is engaging so that they actually learn something while having fun. Recommended.

Very informative and fun! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I teach Health Science to high school students. I have purchased Grossology, Hands On Grossology, and Animal Grossology to be used in my classroom. It is a little immature for the students however they LOVE IT. I use this at the end of the school year as a treat for them and me as well. They all are arguing over who gets to read the topics for that day and I use the Hands On Grossology to do activities with most all topics. It's an awesome way to keep all of the kids involved when we are all tired of school.

Editorial Review:

A classic of modern gross scholarship.

My Body Is Private (Albert Whitman Prairie Books)

Linda Walvoord Girard

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not a preschool book 3 out of 5 stars.
51 of 58 people found this review helpful.

After reading the reviews, I ordered this book thinking that it would be appropriate for my 3-year old. It seems too advanced for a child that age. There is a part of the book where the girl does not want her uncle to touch her because he holds her in his lap and rubs her arms and makes her uncomfortable, and another picture where her older brother "pins her down," and tickles her until it hurts, so the father has to tell him to stop. The mother also warns the child that others might want to take pictures of her private parts. While I understand that these are important illustrations of unwanted behavior, they don't seem right for a younger child. The text is also geared toward a school-aged child.

A Truly Stellar Work! 5 out of 5 stars.
50 of 53 people found this review helpful.

This is a book I wish I had when I was a child. The mother and child featured in this story are beautifully illustrated and I like the intelligent conversations they have about improper touching, whether or not it is sexual.

The book respects readers' intelligence by using the proper terminology for genitalia and the generic term "bottom" to mean the buttocks. I like that. Too many works are weakened by silly euphemistic or babyish names for the anatomy that do nobody any real service. This book is a good teaching tool and an excellent forum for discussion of a serious topic. It is one that all ages would find beneficial.

Another reviewer made the good point that boys also can be sexually abused and this is never addressed in this book. I agree that this already excellent work would have been even more effective had the discussion included a brother as part of the discussion. While it is only natural to want to preserve a child's innocence, it is still very vital to empower children with information about what constitutes desired (non-sexual) and "good" touches and what doesn't. This in turn will help families build a more safety-savvy world.

This book does an excellent job of defining "privacy" replete with examples, e.g. "private parts" are the parts of one's body that is generally covered by their underwear or a bathing suit. The girl featured in the story declares that nobody can touch her private parts in ways she does not want and then goes on to describe other kinds of touching she doesn't like, such as sitting on her uncle's lap. On the flip side, "good touches" are highlighted, such as loving cuddles and dancing and an arm around the shoulder. The distinction could not be more clear and for that I salute this book!

Gray areas such as tickling are explored. Tickling can be fun, but it can also go too far where the one being tickled is not enjoying it. That is another example of when to demand that a certain "touch" or tactile activity be stopped. The children are well within their rights to do so at any time. Hugs and kisses are described as generally being welcome and acceptable, but children should not be forced to kiss or endure being kissed by someone who makes them feel uncomfortable.

The literary mother is very wise; she makes it plain to her daughter that it is the child's feelings that are paramount and not to worry about hurting somebody's feelings if she tells them not to touch her in ways she does not like. Genital touching including being forced to touch someone else's private parts is discussed; the girl is also told not to take photographs of somebody's private parts or willingly allow anyone to photograph hers. My favorite part was when the mother tells her daughter that the predator is NOT always a stranger and can be someone the child knows very well, including a relative. That point CANNOT be stressed enough. The child is told to try to escape as soon as possible and tell an adult she trusts what happened.

I agree with another reviewer that there is a dearth of stories like this for boys as boys also can be the recipients of sexual abuse. Since the girl has a brother, one wonders why he was not included in this safety talk since part of the discussion involved him. His safety has to be considered as well. Another good point is made by having the mother tell her daughter that it is never acceptable for "other children" as opposed to "older children" because that could be misleading. Those few things notwithstanding, I feel this is one of the best books I've encountered on this very serious subject.

I also recommend Sandy Kleven's "The Right Touch: A Read Aloud to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse," Cornelia Spelman's "Your Body Belongs to You" which is ideal for the preschool set on up and Peter Alsop's collection "Songs on Sex & Sexuality," most particularly the song, "My Body." All of these works address a very serious issue in gentle, direct and intelligence complimenting ways and are geared specifically for families.

Editorial Review:

A mother-child conversation introduces the topic of sexual abuse and ways to keep one's body private.

Me and My Amazing Body

Joan Sweeney

List Price: $13.00 By: Knopf Books for Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $0.84

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

informative but creepy 3 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

At the moment my 5 year old daughter is fascinated with the workings of the body - she says she wants to be a surgeon! I got this for her, and it does contains lots of basic and informative information about human anatomy and the systems that run the body. My only complaint, and it is a pretty big one, is that the illustrations actually creep me out. My daughter does not voice this opinion, but she was reserved in her reaction to the book. The illustrations are supposed to look like a child has drawn them with crayon, but they are presented as drawings of the very same girl who narrates the book, but she is missing her face, or her face is part skull, etc. It just struck me as a bit jarring, and I'll be interested to look at other books for the same age group on this topic. Also, the reproductive system is conveniently skipped, which would be of enormous interest to the kids, but force the folks to have a longer bed time story!

Editorial Review:

Here's a lively, easy-to-read, and easy-to-use introduction to anatomy by the author and illustrator of the popular Me on the Map and Me and My Place in Space. The young narrator begins with the body parts we can see--skin, eyes, nose, etc. and then shows what amazing parts are hidden underneath the skin. How many bones hold up the skin? What makes the body move? How does the brain tell the rest of the body what to do? Part by part, fact by fact, each major part of the body is clearly and simply explained including what it does and how it works. Colorful, detailed illustrations show where each part of the body is located. And an amusing, amazing body fact section is included at the very end. Unlike most books about anatomy that are complex and geared toward older children, Me and My Amazing Body allows the youngest readers to discover just how amazing their bodies are!

Deenie

Judy Blume

List Price: $17.00 By: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books Amazon Marketplace: 20 new & used starting at $0.46

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 107 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An excellent young adult story with a strong message 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Deenie is a beautiful seventh grader whose mother desperately wants her to be a model. Deenie doesn't really know if she wants to be a model, but goes along with her mother's wishes so as not to rock the boat. Whenever she goes on modeling interviews, they seem to always comment about her posture, which makes her mother angry. Deenie promises that she will begin working on her posture. When her school gym teacher notices that Deenie's posture is a problem, she notifies Deenie's parents who take her to a specialist. It turns out that Deenie has adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and that she will have to wear a brace to correct it. So much for her modeling career.

In the tradition of most Judy Blume books, Deenie tackles many issues that teenage girls face. Deenie's mother is constantly harping on her looks and the hopes that she had for Deenie to become a successful model, whether Deenie wanted to or not. She is a typical stage mom who puts both of her daughters into very specific roles: Helen is the brains, Deenie is the beauty. When things don't work out the way that she plans, she takes her frustration out on Deenie. In turn, Deenie wonders if the disease is her fault.

Deenie also has to deal with the issue of being self-conscious about something that is really outside of her control. At the beginning of the novel she focuses on others' deformities: a girl with eczema, which Deenie refers to as "creeping crud," is avoided because of her red and flaky skin; Deenie never makes eye contact with a woman who has a hunchback until her own spine malformation is noticed. Deenie is a story about growing up and maturing, and the change in Deenie from start to finish is evident.

Unfortunately, for some, Judy Blume also tackles teenage sexuality in this novel, which has caused it to be one of the most challenged works of young adult fiction. Personally, I felt the references were mild at best, and completely appropriate. Deenie mentions touching herself as a way of feeling better when things spiral out of control. The subject of teenage masturbation is handled with tact and elegance, and I think people just make more out of it than they should.

As a whole, Deenie was an excellent book, and one I never got a chance to read when I was younger. I'm glad I picked it up now, and can honestly say that it has a lot of good messages for young adults. If you can look past the mild sexual references to the heart of the story, a young girl who has to learn to look past exteriors to see inner beauty--including her own--I think you'll enjoy this story.

Editorial Review:

A thirteen-year-old girl seemingly destined for a modeling career finds she has a deformation of the spine called scoliosis.

Cherry Ames Boxed Set (Books 1-4) Student Nurse, Senior Nurse, Army Nurse & Chief Nurse

Helen Wells

Amazon Price: $39.95 List Price: $39.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Springer Publishing Company Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $29.29

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In Student Nurse, Cherry starts nursing school at Spencer with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation - would she have what it takes to be a nurse?

In Army Nurse, Cherry has made the difficult decision facing all her classmates - should she enlist in the military or practice nursing on the homefront? She's graduated from Spencer and earned the right to put "RN" after her name, and as an Army nurse, she is now "Lieutenant Ames." The Army nurses are also soldiers, and endure a grueling basic training under the harsh Sergeant Deake (whom Cherry nicknames "Lovey," much to his chagrin). No one knows where the Spencer unit will be deployed until they are shipped off without warning - to Panama City. Who is the mysterious old Indian whom Cherry and her corpsman Bunce find collapsed in an abandoned house? He is obviously very ill, but with what? Can Dr. Joe's newly developed serum help?

In Senior Nurse, Cherry realizes that "a senior really must be a little more sober and responsible" - perhaps she should have warned the head nurse right away about the rabbit that had been smuggled into the pediatric ward. But the children had enjoyed it so...

In Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse, Cherry is whisked off to a new assignment on an island in the Pacific close to the battlefront - as Acting Chief Nurse! Colonel Pillsbee thinks she is too "young and pretty" to successfully supervise sixty nurses and 200 corpsmen. Can she do it?

Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens

Earl Hipp

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

entertaining, great illustrations, excellent tip for teens 5 out of 5 stars.
19 of 22 people found this review helpful.

Anxious and troubled and confused teens (most of the teen populations) will carry this portable guide to survival for several days and come away reassured that they are not alone, and come away with useful skills to make life better and easier. Even the teen readers like it!!

Cracking the Whip on Stress 5 out of 5 stars.
19 of 20 people found this review helpful.

This enjoyable, easy-read offers proven, practical advice to adolescents interested in acquiring stress and life management skills. Adults working with teens will find this book a valuable resource for helping adolescents understand what happens when they are stressed to the limits of their coping ability. The section "Self-Care for Tiger Bites" offers immediate first aid for those times when fast relief is needed to relieve overwhelming levels of stress. Using this book, teenagers and adults alike can crack the whip and tame the stress within.

An excellent guide/resource for teens...as well as for parents & educators if you get the Leader's Guide too! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I find this book, despite its small size & simple layout, to be an excellent guide/resource for teens.

The analogy is interesting. When life is very stressful, it can feel as if you're in a jungle with lots of dangerous tigers --ferocious, hungry, invisible tigers, quietly stalking you.

It covers everything from being assertive to building relationships, taking risks, making decisions, staying healthy, dealing with fears, using positive self-talk, & even growing a funny bone. There is also a "Self-Care for Tiger Bites" section which offers ready "first aid" for teens who need quick relief.

Parents &/or educators who are also interested in this book, are advised to get hold of the Leader's Guide. It is designed to support & enhance the messages of the Student Book with a step-by-step curriculum in a dozen of easy-to-use sessions. It comes with two dozens of reproducible handout masters.

Kudos to the authors for these two excellent guides/resources!

I would strongly recommend readers to check out the publisher's website. They have an extensive repertoire of excellent guides/resources for kids, teens, parents as well as educators.

Editorial Review:

Proven, Practical advice for teens on coping with stress.

Cory Stories: A Kid's Book About Living With Adhd

Jeanne Kraus

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

A wonderful book that helps children and even adults understand what it feels like to have ADHD. I think it really helped by 6 year old son understand that he is not alone in how he feels with this disorder. For the past two years we didn't know what was wrong with him, we thought that maybe he was just really hyper. When his teachers told us that his behavior was so bad at school they were thinking of putting him in a special class, we knew we had to do something. He was diagnosed with ADHD and is now in therapy and takes medication. We have noticed a huge difference. It feels good to know that we are not the only ones going through this, and that he is not a bad kid, he is just different. This book really helped to get that point across. I bought a few copies for his grandparents and teachers. A great recommendation for parents looking to explain their child's ADHD to them.

Editorial Review:

In short statements and vignettes, Cory describes what it's like to have ADHD: how it affects his relationships with friends and family, his school performance, and his overall functioning. He also describes many ways of coping with ADHD: medication, therapy/counseling, and practical tips for school, home, and friendships.

The Little Big Book for Moms (Little Big Books (Welcome Enterprises))

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Little Big Book for Moms is packed with all the fun, magic, and wonder of early childhood in a beautifully designed, chunky little package. Illustrated throughout with early 20th-century work by artists like Jessie Wilcox Smith and Ida Waugh, this is a delicious treasure for the expectant mother to savor in anticipation, and for the new mother to share with her little ones.
Mother Goose, the brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, e.e. cummings, E.B. White, J.M. Barrie, Maya Angelou, Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash and Lewis Carroll are like old friends bearing gifts of song, verse, and tales for the new child. Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan, and Goldilocks are but a few of the other well-loved characters who visit these pages.
And there's more! Mother and child will delight in activities like finger games and hand shadows. There are recipes for making play dough, soap bubbles, chicken soup, and applesauce. And, when the little ones are finally asleep and mom needs reminding of how adorable they really are, there are excerpts celebrating children and motherhood by such authors as Susan Cheever and Anne Lamott.

Germs Make Me Sick! (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) (Reading Rainbow book)

Melvin Berger

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

When my kids were sick, this was one of two books we always read... 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

My children, now 19 and 17, loved this book. I guess they were about 6 and 4 when I got it. Whenever they were sick, we read this book and a Sesame Street book called "It's No Fun to be Sick." Reading these books became a comforting ritual, as well as an easy way to learn some basic science.

A terrible case of indoctrination of children 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 11 people found this review helpful.

From all this fuss about "germ theory" is it just that: a theory. Pasteruians want us to believe that disease is caused by invisible tiny animals, well that's a religion if I ever hear of one. And you're welcome to believe that if you want.

I want my children to believe the biblical account of disease: it is caused by sin. Whenever my kids get sick I just tell them that they should be ashamed of themselves and their filthy, sinful thoughts. If they were really sincere in their prayers they wouldn't need their supposed "medicine".

I can't believe that such materialist science indoctrination texts are readily available in schools. What's next? handing out guns at the door?

Editorial Review:

With Marilyn Hefner's new full color illustrations, bacteria and viruses have never looked so good! As packed with wit and good humor as with charts and diagrams, this book is still the best explanation of how your body fights germs. ‘An introduction to bacteria and viruses and how each of the two forms attacks cells and makes a person feel sick. The text mixes information with reassurance. . . . A nonthreatening first exposure, administered with a pleasant bedside manner.' 'K.

A Reading Rainbow Featured Selection
Best Children's Science Books 1995 (Science Books and Films)

What Baby Needs (Sears Children Library)

William Sears, Martha Sears, Christie Watts Kelly

Amazon Price: $10.39 List Price: $12.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Little, Brown Young Readers Amazon Marketplace: 57 new & used starting at $1.63

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A must-have for a breastfeeding family with an older sibling 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is, in my opinion, an absolute must-have and perfect gift for any family who plans to breastfeed, especially if practicing other forms of attachment parenting, like babywearing or co-sleeping.

This book makes me tear up every single time I have read it, to myself or my daughter. It's just superbly done. The text just assumes that baby will be breastfed, or acknowledges the possibility of pumped milk in a bottle ("when baby is older"). Baby is pictured fitting into the family's activities with the older child in a ring sling and sleeping next to Mommy in a sidecar co-sleeper. It was such a beautiful thing to show my daughter a book that reflected pictures of what her family looked like!

There are fantastic little insets that speak directly to the older sibling outside of the story, many called "What about me?" that address how the older sibling may be feeling and acknowledging those feelings are ok. For example, that it's ok for the older sibling to be still wanting and expecting time and attention from parents, and that it's ok to feel angry towards the baby sometimes (but not to *hurt* the baby). It reminds children that the sort of needs the baby has are the same needs they had.

The book offers advice to children on how to make friends with the baby, and gives realistic expectations of what a baby will and will not do. My favorite illustration in this area is the one of the baby squeezing the older sister's finger - this is the one "game" we had prepared our daughter that the baby *would* be able to play with her right away, so it was fun to see it in there!

There are also incredibly helpful passages about what the older sibling can do to be helpful and feel included. I especially like where it tells children they can help by getting into the car seat quickly when going out and staying close by at all times!

There is also some really helpful information and advice for parents and caregivers about helping siblings prepare for baby written for adults, as well as information about attachment parenting and more resources at the end of the book.

All and all, I give this book my highest recommendation for children and adults in families who plan to breastfeed a new baby.

Editorial Review:

The picture-book branch of the acclaimed Sears Parenting Library makes its debut with these two informative and helpful books for young siblings-to-be. Baby on the Way speaks to every child expecting a new brother or sister, guiding him or her through the waiting process. What Baby Needs tells soon-to-be older siblings about a new baby's needs and demands and suggests ways that they can participate in the new baby's care. With concise, simple, and reassuring text and warm and lively illustrations, these two books by the foremost authorities on attachment parenting are must-haves for every child ready to welcome a new baby sibling.