General Books

Maniac Magee

Jerry Spinelli

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Features:

• Made with the Best Quality Material with your child in mind.
• Top Quality Children's Item.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 712 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Maniacs are good friends 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

After reading Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, I have learned a lot about what it takes to be a good friend. I thought I had good friends before I read it. Friends are supposed to be people you can laugh with, remember forever, and trust enough to ask for a payday loan without any threat of interest. Spinelli produced in Jeffrey Magee a completely different kind of friend.
Maniac, as he came to be known by other characters in the book was homeless, needy, untrusting of most others, independent, and reclusive. He preferred running through town and sleeping with animals at the zoo to staying with his stiff, staunch, and insensitive foster parents. When he does run away, he finds himself in the same town his parents died. He discovers there the racial hate, socio-economic oppression, and disbelief in people he thought he had run away from. But he also discovered that the people there revered him as a legend.
Spinelli wastes no time complicating Magee's life. Soon after he runs away, Maniac is sought after by a neighborhood bully, ousted by racist adults, hunted by arrogant unsupervised white kids, and indebted to the first kind person he meets. Spinelli creates a lovelable boy, with many of the same characteristics as Tom Sawyer, and a lot of the same plights many of his readers recognize from experience. Only one thing makes Magee stand out from all the rest.
Magee is blessed with a shroud of heroism. In his own meandering and misanthropic way, Maniac saves a retired minor league pitcher from his lonliness, restores the legend of a fallen big brother, returns courage to a fearful bully and reaffirms a girls faith in humanity. He also teaches a town to accept differences on both sides of the track...in spite of color differences.
The novel is colored with humor, charm and sincerity. Spinelli seems to be unfolding real events on a neon canvas. So bright and amusing they can't possibly be real, these moments resonate with whispers of reality. Parts of Spinelli's childhood seep from the pages, touching the lives of all readers and embracing the childhood some have yet to leave behind.
Readability is enhanced by short fast paced chapters, a subtle thread of suspense and a genuine curiosity about what Maniac Magee will do next. No matter who reads this book, Magee is sure to run them down leaving their minds stamped with Jerry Spinelli's gifted writing.

Editorial Review:

After his parents die, Jeffrey Lionel Magee's life becomes legendary as he accomplishes athletic feats and other extraordinary exploits that awe his contemporaries. Paperback.

The Clique Summer Collection #2: Dylan (Clique Series)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

good 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

the book was a good book because i play tennis and i thought it was good researched and the author used the right terms

More of the same... 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

My daughter loves these books- I think they do not qualify as a "good" book but they are pretty harmless as long as she reads other books in between.

this is an amazing book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

this is the best book ever. if you enjoyed reading the clique, then you will love this book.

A delicious guilty pleasure 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Pretty Committee member Dylan Marvil accompanies her TV-host mother on a private jet to an extravagant spa and tennis club in Hawaii in hopes of making a fresh start. She wants to put the heartache of being dumped behind her, relax in the spa, lounge on the beach and feast on rich tropical desserts --- while her mom is busy preparing for the "interview of the season" with hot-tempered tennis superstar and bad-girl Svetlana Slootskyia.

After checking in to the luxurious resort, Dylan and her mother head for the resort's boutique to "go native" and pick out some new clothes to wear at the Aloha Open VIP Party. Dylan --- who favors dark colors, especially black, to flatter her size-four (make that size-six) figure --- is not pleased with the wardrobe selection. She tells her mom she feels like she's been dropped into a "floral-scented snow globe" because everything there is white, which is the customary color for anyone attending the tennis events.

While looking for an appropriate outfit, Dylan melts at the sight of tanned and handsome J.T. Daley, whose father owns the resort. When she actually meets him, Dylan can barely control her burping. J.T. is a tennis-obsessed "hawtie" who is immediately impressed when he finds out that Dylan's mom is going to be interviewing Svetlana.

At the VIP party, to impress J.T. even more, Dylan tells him she also loves tennis, which is about as true as her being a size four and not having a burping problem. After hearing this, J.T. invites her to his family's box seats at a tennis match that will be held three days later.

Dylan quickly realizes she has to learn how to master the game of tennis in three days, or J.T. will know she's lying. She tries to come up with a plan to get the hot-tempered Svetlana to teach her to play tennis well enough to impress J.T. Can Dylan convince Svetlana to help her become an ace, or will her quest to win over J.T. end up out of bounds?

DYLAN is the second of five books that shine a spotlight on the summers of the Pretty Committee members. It is a breezy and light-hearted novel with an important message about knowing ourselves and being comfortable with who we are.

--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt

Editorial Review:

Game, Set, Match... Dylan? Dylan and her TV-host mom are off to Hawaii's Aloha Tennis Open. While Merri-Lee interviews tennis's wild child Svetlana "Tennis the Menace" Slootskyia, Dylan lets the tropical sun melt away the memory of getting dumped by two guys at the end of seventh grade. But between avocado mud masks and poolside naps, she falls in love with a preppy, tennis- obsessed hawtie. Dylan soon realizes the only way to score a date with him is to master the game. Can she convince moody Svetlana to spill the secrets of her tennis success, or will she end up oh-for-three in summer love?

Peak

Roland Smith

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

PCE Student Review 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My favorite book was Peak by Roland Smith.
Peak is about peak Marcello, who gets arrested for scaling a skyscraper with an understanding from the judge to live with his dad in Tibet, China not knowing his dad wants him to break a record for the first person
ever to reach Mt.Everest. The book is classified as an adventure. Smith's writing style is fast-paced, never boring, and a page-turner. I recommend this book for people ages 10-16. I love this book because it keeps going, never gets boring, and there is a little comedy thrown into it. My favorite character is Peak because he is brave, funny, and considerate. In the end Peak is ten feet away from Everest and he lets another boy named Sun-Jo reach the top and lets him break the record. This is because he thought Sun-Jo wanted it more than him.
That is why Peak is my favorite book.

Editorial Review:

After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he’s left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or to go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father’s renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit—and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it’s also one that could cost him his life.

Curious George Goes to the Beach

H. A. Rey, Margaret Rey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Life's a Beach ...George!! 5 out of 5 stars.
14 of 15 people found this review helpful.

This book and Curious George himself takes me back to a gentler time. A time when I was young and a time when my son was young. He and I LOVE to read all about George's silly mishaps daily.

This book was an automatic favorite because we live in Rhode Island and live at the beach in the summer. So he would always take this book and his george doll down in his bag. These stories are filled with laughter and love, two things a child can't get enough of and there is usually even a good manners lesson taught to George too that they don't soon forget.

So, any of the Curious George series is a winner with our family...and we don't even live near the "man with the yellow hat". lol*

Have fun and make each night a night you read to your child...it's so important. I even read to him in the womb each night. He talked early and certainly knew my voice almost immediately.

A winner any way you look at it. : ) Thank you George.

Editorial Review:

MODEL- SUNCD97838WMAE VENDOR- SUNBURST FEATURES- Sunburst Type through Time Single Sunburst Type through Time Single Direct Ship to either Reseller or End-User only. Non-returnable. MANUFACTURER WARRANTY:andnbsp;andnbsp;90 DAYS

Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping (I Can Read Book 2)

Peggy Parish

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Funny as always! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book for my nice and I read it to he and I enjoyed it myself! Is as funny as any other Amelia Bedelia book, and it even gives a general idea on what camping is all about!

Oh Amelia...We Love You So! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book in the series finds Amelia Bedelia and her employers going camping...as always Amelia's literal minded approach means lots of misunderstanding between what the Rodger's tell her to do and what Amelia does. As always, Amelia Bedelia does EXACTLY as she is told (let's hit the road leaves Amelia hitting the road with a stick and I think we can all guess what happens when it's time to pitch the tent)!! In the end, its Amelia's big heart (and extraordinary cooking ability) that saves the day (as usual) when the Rodger's get fed up with all the misunderstandings!! Young readers will love to hear this story read out loud, but it's also a find book for readers just starting out! Amelia, I think, will be around for generations to come, the stories are simple, but hilarious and the illustrations are just darling! Always a good way to get a discussion going about how we use words and how a word or phrase can have several meanings...plus it's just plain fun!

Editorial Review:

Camp Out

Amelia Bedelia has never been camping in the great outdoors before. She's trying her best to do exactly as she's told, but pitching a tent is not the same as throwing it into the bushes, and catching a fish with your bare hands isn't easy. As usual, the mixed-up housekeeper makes this camping trip one hugely entertaining adventure.

The Contender

Robert Lipsyte

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 312 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great Book!! 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This story is about a teenager named Alfred Brooks, and in the book he is simply trying to make a life for himself. He dropped out of High School, and he's working at a grocery store. To make things even worse, his friend is turning to drugs and he is getting harassed by a group of guys. Alfred decides to go to Donatelli's gym, because he wants to become a champion, a boxer.

My english class read this book, and I enjoyed it. I think you should read the book, and maybe it'll make you think about reaching the goals of becoming a champion.
[...]

Editorial Review:

Alfred's life is going nowhere fast. He's a high-school dropout working at a grocery store. His best friend is drifting behind a haze of drugs and violence, and now some street punks are harassing him for something he didn't do. Feeling powerless and afraid, Alfred gathers up the courage to visit Donatelli's Gym, the neighborhood's boxing club. He wants to be a champion--on the streets and in his own life. Alfred doesn't quite understand when Mr. Donatelli tells him, "It's the climbing that makes the man. Getting to the top is an extra reward." In the end, he learns that a winner isn't necessarily the one standing when the fight is over. Teens and adults alike will be knocked out by this powerful story of how a frightened boy becomes a man.

The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco

Janice Repka

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

THIS BOOK IS OUT! AND SO ARE YOU READ IT NOW 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

THE STUPENDOUS DODGEBALL FIASCO IS TOTALLY AIR HEADED AND FOR PEOPLE WHO... WE'LL GET TO THAT LATER. THIS BOOK IS BY JANICE REPKA. THE MAIN CHARACTER IS PHILLIP EDWARD STAINSLAW. HE IS A CIRCUS BOY. HE WAS ACTUALLY BORN INTO A CIRCUS. NOW I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY AWESOME AND OUTSTANDING... BUT NOT PHILLIP. HE THINKS IT'S MISERABLE. NOW I KNOW THAT MOST BOOKS START OUT WITH A BORING BEGINNING, BELIEVE ME!!! BUT NOT WITH THIS BOOK, JUST START THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE BOOK AND WALLA, IT'S CAPTURED YOUR ATTENTION. ANYWAY BACK TO THE STORY, PHILLIP'S JOB IN THE CIRCUS IS TO.... OH MY GOSH THIS IS FUNNY, HIS JOB IS TO SCOOP UP ELEPHANT DROPPINGS WITH A POOPER-SCOOPER. NOW THE PROBLEM OF THIS "STORY" OR AS I WOULD SAY IT A "COMICS" IS THAT YOUNG PHILLIP DOESN'T LIKE LIVING IN A CIRCUS AS A CIRCUS BOY. FOR HIS BIRTHDAY, WHICH JUST PASSED, HE GOT A SWALLOWING SWORD. HOW WEIRD IS THAT. MOST KIDS WANT A DIRTBIKE OR A XBOX OR VIDEO GAMES. PHILLIP GOES TO LIVE WITH HIS AUNT AND UNCLE. THATS WHERE THE REAL STORY STARTS, IN HARDINGTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WOULD RECOMEND THIS STORY TO PEOPLE WHO LIKE SPORTS AND ACTION. I WOULD RATE THIS BOOK A 5 STAR BOOK BECAUSE OF THE PLOT AND THE RESOLUTION. WHEN YOU FIND OUT THE RESOLUTION YOU WON'T PUT THIS STORY DOWN.
GOOD LUCK BOOK LOVERS. THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEW

Editorial Review:

Phillip comes from a circus family, but all he really wants is to be a regular kid. After persuading his parents to let him move in with his aunt and uncle, he winds up in Hardingtown, where everyone is wild about dodgeball. When he gets slammed in the face with a speeding ball in gym class, he decides to take the dodgeball bully to court. But can a circus boy take on the Unofficial Dodgeball Capital of the World?
This uproariously funny middle-grade novel carries an inspiring message about sticking to your beliefs, however unpopular they may be.

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach (Scaredy Squirrel)

Melanie Watt

Amazon Price: $10.85 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Kids Can Press Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $9.19

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The most read book at our house! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is the most read book at our house! Funny, awesome pictures, easy to read. We love all the scaredy squirrel books.

Scaredy Squirrel Does it Again! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Once again Watt delivers a classic story about a terrified squirrel. I am a school librarian, and these books work great with pre-k to fifth grade. I hope Watt keeps writing more books about our favorite squirrel!

Editorial Review:

We know by now that Scaredy Squirrel only feels safe when he's at home in his nut tree, with his defenses, his emergency kit and his back-up plans at the ready. So even though the sun is shining and it's time for a vacation, Scaredy does not want to go to the beach - that vast, frightening place where a squirrel could get stranded. (Not to mention other hazards such as sea monsters, falling coconuts, seagulls, pirates and lobsters.) Instead, Scaredy builds his own safe beach getaway under his nut tree, complete with germ-free inflatable pool, artificial beach scenery, a flashlight and a plastic flamingo. Still, the lure of the genuine beach is strong - even a dedicated homebody such as Scaredy can't resist it forever. Can his back-up plans save him from its perils? Will his No.65 sunscreen protect his delicate complexion?

Geronimo And The Gold Medal Mystery (Geronimo Stilton)

Geronimo Stilton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

My kid loved it 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

We waited for a while for the book to come but it was worth the wait. My kid loved this book (and so would yours)...

Another enjoyable Geronimo adventure 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Geronimo just doesn't understand why everyone is so excited about the Olympics starting in three days, since he's not exactly a sports fan. Then his sister, Thea, begs him to cover the games for The Rodent's Gazette. Geronimo refuses, of course, but that does him no good since his grandfather, the founder of the newspaper, insists he head straight to Athens to write an article and host a daily television program about the Olympics.

On the plane, a clumsy and pushy flight attendant turns out to be Hercule Poirat, Geronimo's old detective friend, in disguise. He confides to Geronimo that there's something strange going on at the Olympics. Hercule persuades Geronimo to help him investigate. While Geronimo must learn to overcome his shyness in order to star in his TV show, that's just one challenge he faces in Athens. Geronimo and Hercule must turn into spies in order to solve the Olympics mystery, which involves a character Geronimo Stilton series fans will remember.

This is another enjoyable Geronimo adventure and comes complete with tons of interesting facts about the Olympics, including history tidbits, traditions, participating countries' flags and much more.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

Editorial Review:

I, Geronimo Stilton, am not a sportsmouse. Running? Sweating? Not for me. I prefer relaxing in an armchair with a nice bowl of chocolate cheesy chews. But with the Olympics coming up, sports were all anyone in New Mouse City could talk about. Rat-munching rattlesnakes!

Skills and Strategies for Coaching Soccer

Alan Hargreaves

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Human Kinetics Publishers Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $6.23

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Intermediate Book 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

First, I have to define intermediate. I have coached U6 and U8 for 5 seasons, and have just moved up to coach U11. I bought this book and Progressive Soccer, and this book was MUCH better. It's pretty beat up now because I refer to it constantly. It has drills and games for all the skills, and most of them start out at a low level (U8 or so) and get more advanced. Almost all of them have worked out well for our team.
I would say this is not a beginner's book, too much info and probably too in depth for a brand-new coach. Not a lot of "kiddie games" like you would use for U6 or U8. I would say U10 and up can get a lot out of this book.
My only complaint is I would like a little more in the team strategy parts and "system of play" parts, the book is a little weak on those areas, other than going through some different formations (which won't apply if you don't play 11 on 11).
Again, highly recommended for the coach moving up for the first time into the U10 age group for the first time.

Editorial Review:

With Skills and Strategies for Coaching Soccer, you have access to 120 drills for teaching skills to players at all levels--from beginning to intermediate to advanced. And for each skill, you'll find drills for players at different levels of development.

Some of the basic skills presented include collecting and controlling, passing, dribbling, kicking, heading, goalkeeping, and the throw in. You'll also find

• offensive moves and countering defensive moves;

• 120 drills for beginning, intermediate, and advanced players;

• coaching points for each drill;

• a fitness program for soccer;

• sample game situations and how to coach in those situations;

• 246 high-quality illustrations of field diagrams and skill execution; and

• methods of coaching that are appropriate for individuals or groups.