A book is a gift you can open again and again.

Real Marriage

2012-01-29T10:28:00.000-08:00

Book Resources

Real Marriage The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together

By Mark & Grace Driscoll
Published by Thomas Nelson

Book Description

Pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife, Grace, talk about sex and marriage in down-to-earth terms, hitting issues other Christian books won’t.
While a wonderful wedding day is important, it’s the last day of marriage that really counts. Will the last day of your marriage come prematurely through divorce? Will it be filled with regrets as you sit at the funeral of your spouse? Or, by God’s grace, will the last day be a day to rejoice in the life you lived together?
Pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife, Grace, want you to finish well on the last day. From the importance of date nights to answers to the most tricky “can we do that?” sex questions, they share practical help and hope with people just like them—who entered marriage a complete mess—or who are planning to be married someday and want to avoid some sticky pitfalls.
Together Pastor Mark and Grace tackle the tough issues, such as:
--Why being your spouse’s best friend changes everything and how to achieve it.
--Pornography and sexual sin inside and outside of marriage.
--Submission and respect – marriage’s most misunderstood tenets-and what they should really look like.
--Honoring your spouse emotionally, technologically, and financially.
--What the Bible says about masturbation and oral sex.
--The “Can we do that?” questions you’re too embarrassed to ask your pastor.
--How to deal with intimacy issues and create the joyful and fun sex life God intended you to have.
--What type of man or woman are you? What type of lover are you? And what type of marriage do you have?

I have mixed feelings about this book. It could be because I'm not married. I wonder if this book would have such a response if it was not written by the high profile Mark Driscoll. It was entertaining. He talked about tons of stuff that other authors just gloss over. It was biblically based and used lots of Scripture.

Note: I got this book free as a review copy from Thomas Nelson’s booksneeze.com book blog program. I was not obligated to write a good review, but only my honest opinion.

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well By: Billy Graham

2011-11-16T16:01:00.001-08:00

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well
Billy Graham

Book Description

“I never thought I would live to be this old.”

In this moving narrative, Billy Graham once again takes up the pen not only to share his personal experience of growing older but also teach us some important lessons on how to view our time here on Earth. He says that the Bible makes it clear that God has a specific reason for keeping us here. So what is His purpose for these years, and how can we align our lives with it? How can we not only learn to cope with the fears and struggles and growing limitations we face but actually grow stronger inwardly in the midst of these difficulties?

In what may be his most powerful message of the last decade, Billy Graham speaks to all on this side of Heaven as he covers the importance of four key areas:

Building strong foundations and understanding the gift of years

Facing life’s transitions, including the passing of years, retirement, and when loved ones die

Making wise decisions

Understanding our glorious hope

“In this book I invite you to explore with me not only the realities of life as we grow older but the hope and fulfillment and even joy that can be ours once we learn to look at these years from God’s point of view and discover His strength to sustain us every day. I pray that you and I may learn what it means not only to grow older, but, with God’s help, to grow older with grace.”

This book seems to be geared toward the grandparent generation. I didn't really like it. I am a young adult so I imagine that is why I didn't really like it. It did give some good advise about finishing strong.

In order to comply with new Federal Trade Commission regulations, please note that this book was provided compliments of BookSneeze.

2011-10-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

A Year with Jesus Daily Readings and Reflections On Jesus' Own Words

By R.P. Nettelhorst

Book Description

Too many times the impact and grandness of the actual words Jesus spoke, as recorded in the Bible, are lost in the telling of the story. In A Year with Jesus, the primary focus is to allow the scriptures that contain Jesus' dialogue to uniquely speak to the reader. The author follows each reading with insights and applications to help explain the context and nuances of the text. The unique titling of each meditation and the nontraditional themes and organization help bring Jesus to our daily lives. Topics include:

Love and Hate
Truths and Lies
Arrogance and Humility
Friends and Enemies
Belief and Disbelief
Patience and Impatience
Deserved and Undeserved
Good and Evil
Fidelity and Treachery
Life and Death

I really like the setup of this book. It is broken into days by ordinal (1,2,3,4,etc) rather than a calendar. That's great to be able to start at any time in the year. And if you miss a day or two the book doesn't make you feel bad. Just pick up where you left off. Secondly, the author let's Jesus do the teaching, love that!!! Each day's devotion is only one page long. So it is short and to the point. Easy to read!!! Pleasingly, scripture is the majority of the page.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Our Last Great Hope

2011-10-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

Our Last Great Hope: Awakening the Great Commission
Ronnie Floyd

Book Description

Every day we encounter scores of people headed to an eternity without God. What will it take to wake us up to their desperate need for a Savior?

While the earth's time clock ticks away, well-meaning Christians go to church, pay their tithes, and pray for foreign missionaries—going through the motions of Christian life as millions face an eternity without God. If heaven is indeed for real, and only those who have put their faith in Christ will be given entrance, shouldn't we be making the most of every opportunity to share the Gospel, the last great hope for all the world?

Join pastor Ronnie Floyd as he challenges readers to face reality and begin a global movement to reach the lost. He says, "God is calling us to an awakening regarding his most urgent command found in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples of all nations. This Great Commission is the compelling charge given to us with divine authority by our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ."

If the Great Commission was so important to Jesus, why have we relegated it to casual discussions and an annual campaign in our churches? An awakening has never been more needed. In this challenging book, Pastor Floyd discusses key imperatives such as:
--Get honest with yourself
--Wake up your church
--Understand the urgency
--Talk Jesus daily
--Reach the next generation now
--Minimize structure

The major themes that focus on Scripture serve to create an influential and intensely challenging book. There is a very obvious commitment here to teach Scriptural principles from the Bible and to invite the reader to follow hard after Christ.

I was hoping for a great book that would inspire people to share the gospel & give them the tools with which to do it. Unfortunately, this wasn't it. I just didn't like it. I never got into it. I might give it a second shot.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Thank you God for Blessing Me

2011-09-29T17:44:00.000-07:00

“Thank you God for Blessing Me” written & illustrated by Max Lucado

Description
Meet Little Hermie—the cutest baby caterpillar in the garden! Little Hermie’s thankful heart shows toddlers how to be thankful for God’s blessings.

Little Hermie is thankful for everything God has given him. He goes through his day thanking God for his many blessings in this adorable board book with flocking on the cover!

With over 5.5 million brands units sold, the new Little Hermie books open the wonderful world of the Hermie & Friends garden to an entirely new audience.

Perfect for any kid around the age two. The pictures are great, colorful and bright. And the story itself is very cute, and tells the reader all about Hermie the caterpillar. Hermie thanks God for His blessings, for providing him a place to sleep, food to eat, and special friends. Just like us! I love it. The book is short and fun to read. Well, it is fun now, ask me in about two weeks if I still like it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

More Lost Then Found

2011-09-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Book Description

More Lost Than Found helps readers reconnect with a faith worth believing.

If you look at the statistics about people raised in the church who are now leaving it, you’ll realize that something has gone horribly wrong. Has God’s truth lost relevance? The answer to this question, says Jared Herd, director of XP3 college ministries, is an absolute no. Next-generation Christians are drifting from the institutional faith because they no longer see their very real struggles or their need for deep connection with God adequately addressed there.

In More Lost Than Found, youth expert Jared Herd comes alongside anyone who has drifted from faith to reengage them with the truth they long to hear. With amusing anecdotes and brilliant insight, he gives readers the permission to struggle with their faith while, deep down, knowing they still believe it and want to believe it. In this refreshing, true-to-life message, readers find a companion for their faith journey, rediscover the truth they grew up believing, and are invigorated to lay hold of it once again.

I will admit I didn't really like this book. It just was not my thing. I never really go into it. But, I would recommend this book to any young adult, high school or college student that is struggling with their faith or is longing for a deeper faith and a broader understanding into how our faith and today’s culture intertwines.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Stained Glass Hearts Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective

2011-09-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

Stained Glass Hearts Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective

By Patsy Clairmont

Much like stained glass, life's broken pieces become the prism through which God's grace shines most brightly and beautifully.
"Life is no doubt full of difficulties, but it is also filled with promise and possibility," says best-selling author and WOF speaker Patsy Clairmont. In Stained Glass Hearts Clairmont guides readers to view the difficult experiences of life through the lens of God's grace. Using art as a theme, and likening people to stained glass windows, she shares that it's when we're surrounded by darkness that His healing light shines most brightly within us. Encouraging women to step back and see life from this new perspective, Patsy offers help and hope for the dark places of life.
Along with character studies of women in Scripture, and modern-day, relatable stories, each chapter includes:
Chalice—memorable quotes
Mosaic—recommended music
Spires—scriptures and readings
Litany—sample prayers

I didn't really like this book. I could never really get into it. It was hard to read. Just not my thing. I didn't really learn that much. I did not gain as much insight spirituality as I have in some of her other books. Oh well, maybe you will like it.

I received this complimentary copy from the publisher through their Book Sneeze Bloggers program. A positive review was not require and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

The Aloha Quilt

2011-09-05T18:31:00.001-07:00

The Aloha Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel
Jennifer Chiaverini

In this latest entry to the bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series, quilting queen Bonnie Markham explores Hawaii and learns about the islands' quilting traditions while setting up a tropical quilt camp. Weary from a difficult divorce battle, Bonnie leaves beloved Elm Creek Manor and takes up her friend's invitation to start the camp; once in Hawaii, she gets to work on hiring staff and making her version of a Hawaiian quilt. When her mean-spirited ex-husband-to-be demands half her share in Elm Creek as part of the settlement, Bonnie takes drastic measures to protect the estate and her friends. Still, the big changes are hard to take, and Bonnie's not sure she can follow through. With homey details and a strong sense of the connections that bind women, friends, and families, Chiaverini (Circle of Quilters) lovingly crafts her tale about a woman stitching together a new life and a new project. Series fans will enjoy this latest entry, and those new to the quilting bee should have no problem finding their groove. (Apr.)

Stumbling Into Grace

2011-08-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

Stumbling Into Grace
Confessions of a Sometimes Spiritually Clumsy Woman

By Lisa Harper

Part diary, part devotional, Stumbling Into Grace weaves hilarious and poignant stories from Lisa Harper's life with intimate encounters from the life of Christ. Prayers, reflection questions, and journal prompts help women dig deep into biblical truths to better understand how our Redeemer's compassion, affection, and constancy make every single moment of life more enjoyable and well worth living.

I really liked how honest she was in her book. I have heard lots of things about this author, Lisa Harper, but had never read anything of hers. This was good. I might even read it again. She does a nice job of mixing her personal stories with stories from the bible. At the end of each chapter there are questions that you could use in a group or personally in a journal. Overall I liked this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Mini Shopaholic

2011-08-28T09:17:00.001-07:00

Mini Shopaholic
Sophie Kinsella

Nothing comes between Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) and her bargains. Neither act of God nor budget crunch can shatter her dreams of wall-to-wall Prada. Every milestone in her well-shopped life (travel, long-lost sister, marriage, pregnancy) inspires new vistas to explore in the name of retail therapy. But now she faces her greatest little challenge yet: Becky’s two-year-old daughter, Minnie.

While motherhood has been everything Becky dreamed it would be—Baby Dior, Little Marc Jacobs, and Dolce & Gabbana for toddlers—adorable Minnie is wreaking havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. Her favorite word is “MINE!” and her penchant for Balenciaga bags, Chanel sunglasses, and online purchases has no rival under age five.

Becky is at her wits end. On top of this, she and her husband Luke are still living with her parents. Thankfully it appears house buying attempt number four is a go! Until a huge financial crisis causes panic everywhere, and nobody wants to shop—not Becky’s personal shopping clientele, not her friends, nobody. And with Luke in the doldrums, it’s time for Becky to step in—with a party: A surprise birthday party for Luke (on a budget) is the perfect antidote to everyone’s woes. At first.

Will Becky manage to keep the party of the year a surprise? Can she hire jugglers, fire-eaters, and acrobats at a discount? Will enlisting the help of Luke’s unflappable assistant to convince him to have another baby realize her dream of matching pom-poms? Will Minnie find a new outlet for her energetic and spirited nature (perhaps one with sixty percent markdowns)? She is, after all, a chip off the old shopping block. And everyone knows a committed shopper always finds a way

The Alchemist

2011-08-28T09:16:00.001-07:00

The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho

Like the one-time bestseller Jonathan Livingston Seagull, The Alchemist presents a simple fable, based on simple truths and places it in a highly unique situation. And though we may sniff a bestselling formula, it is certainly not a new one: even the ancient tribal storytellers knew that this is the most successful method of entertaining an audience while slipping in a lesson or two. Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coehlo introduces Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he's off: leaving Spain to literally follow his dream.
Along the way he meets many spiritual messengers, who come in unassuming forms such as a camel driver and a well-read Englishman. In one of the Englishman's books, Santiago first learns about the alchemists--men who believed that if a metal were heated for many years, it would free itself of all its individual properties, and what was left would be the "Soul of the World." Of course he does eventually meet an alchemist, and the ensuing student-teacher relationship clarifies much of the boy's misguided agenda, while also emboldening him to stay true to his dreams. "My heart is afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy confides to the alchemist one night as they look up at a moonless night.
"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself," the alchemist replies. "And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity." --Gail Hudson

Nancy Drew 66

2011-08-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Nancy Drew 66: Race Against Time
Carolyn Keene

When a valuable racehorse named Shooting Star is stolen from Rainbow Ranch, Nancy becomes embroiled in a feud between two ornery men. Accusations fly as Nancy is asked to find the missing horse and the thief. At the same time, the young detective‘s friend, Ned Nickerson, and his newly formed college film club have asked Nancy to star in a movie. But the abandoned Victorian mansion in the woods chosen as the film‘s setting seems to invite disaster. No sooner do the movie-makers start work than the estate‘s stable mysteriously burns down! As other attempts are made to harass the group, Nancy’s investigation becomes more and more perilous. Will she be able to follow the surprising clues to conclude her intriguing search?

Nancy Drew 64

2011-08-05T10:09:00.001-07:00

Nancy Drew 64: Captive Witness
Carolyn Keene

On a student tour through Europe, Nancy discovers that their leader is on a secret mission to transfer ten refugee children from an iron curtain country to freedom! Before the mission is completed, Nancy receives an urgent message from her father concerning a missing entry in a foreign film festival. Undaunted and clever, Nancy pursues an intriguing clue found in a student's wheelchair and finds herself in great danger.

Nancy Drew 60

2011-08-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Nancy Drew 60: The Greek Symbol Mystery
Carolyn Keene

When she is told that a large inheritance from a Greek tycoon, meant for her friend Helen Nicholas, was stolen, Nancy agrees to find the culprit. A poisonous snake in a basket of apples and a strange symbol stamped on a rare Byzantine mask are clues in this mystery set in the beautiful and exotic country of Greece. These clues lead Nancy and her friends to a ring of art smugglers and to the secret of the Greek symbol.

Nancy Drew 57

2011-08-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Nancy Drew 57: The Triple Hoax
Carolyn Keene

Aunt Eloise invites Nancy, Bess, and George to New York to help a friend who has been swindled out of a sizable sum of money. There, the girls see a performance of a magicians' group who stun their audiences with clever sleight-of-hand tricks. Because the magicians temporarily remove people's wallets and handbags, Nancy feels the actors aren't above suspicion. Her hunch is borne out and a whirlwind chase ensues.

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door

2011-07-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door

By Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler

“Seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30—both evangelical and mainline—who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to the survey by LifeWay Research.” (USA Today)

Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door gives teens answers that make sense, even for the toughest of questions. Internationally known defender of the faith Josh McDowell and co-author Bob Hostetler offer clarity laced with humor to expose common myths about God, the Bible, religion, and life to show how Christianity stands up to the test of fact and reason. Teens will be better equipped to stick with their faith as they begin to understand why they believe and why it’s important to make a lifetime commitment to Christ and the church.

This book isn't a book to read to have new revaluations about the Bible. However, this book does contain TONS of solid valuable evidence for WHY we can believe the Bible to be true. It reminded me of the Case for Christ, but in a teen friendly version. This book can be used for personal growth, and the questions/references at the end of each chapter make it a useful tool for youth groups. You would need a good group of kids to use this as your youth group. But Leaders could pull from this book without the kids knowing and it could still be great. Great general knowledge about false religions, cults, and other lame arguments that can (and will) be thrown at you during your Christian walk. I am a christian and enjoyed the book, I don't know how Non-Christians would feel.

Disclosure of Material Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher free of charge as a member of the BookSneeze program. In exchange for the book, I agreed to write a review, HOWEVER, the opinions here are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Love from Your Friend, Hannah

2011-07-19T00:26:00.000-07:00

Love from Your Friend, Hannah
Mindy Warshaw Skolsky

Hannah is lonely after her best friend moves away from their Grand View, NY, neighborhood. Between September 1937 and July 1938, the girl writes volumes of letters to her new pen pal, Edward; her grandparents; Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt; and White House secretary Margaret "Missy" Lehand. Her correspondence to and from these individuals is the content of this introspective, leisurely book. The technique reveals Hannah's character nicely. Particularly effective is the description of her ultimate comedown?she misspells "restaurateur" in class and reports to Edward that she had to write the word 10 times. Edward's educational progress through Hannah's long-distance "tips" strains credibility, but her love-hate relationship with cloying Aunt Becky adds a note of humor. Historical texture is effectively woven into the book, with the difficulty of adults finding and keeping work a recurrent theme. Though the author explains in a closing note that the letters are fictional, Hannah's improbable correspondence with the Roosevelts adds dimension to historical characters and her voice is consistently clear and childlike. This title will be of interest to classes studying the Depression and will be welcomed by those who have followed Hannah in her earlier exploits.

Julie and Julia:

2011-07-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
Julie Powell

From Amazon

Julie & Julia is the story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days. The result is a masterful medley of Bridget Jones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose of original wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from most tales of personal redemption.

When we first meet Julie, she's a frustrated temp-to-perm secretary who slaves away at a thankless job, only to return to an equally demoralizing apartment in the outer boroughs of Manhattan each evening. At the urging of Eric, her devoted and slightly geeky husband, she decides to start a blog that will chronicle what she dubs the "Julie/Julia Project." What follows is a year of butter-drenched meals that will both necessitate the wearing of an unbearably uncomfortable girdle on the hottest night of the year, as well as the realization that life is what you make of it and joy is not as impossible a quest as it may seem, even when it's -10 degrees out and your pipes are frozen.
Powell is a natural when it comes to connecting with her readers, which is probably why her blog generated so much buzz, both from readers and media alike. And while her self-deprecating sense of humor can sometimes dissolve into whininess, she never really loses her edge, or her sense of purpose. Even on day 365, she's working her way through Mayonnaise Collee and ending the evening "back exactly where we started--just Eric and me, three cats and Buffy...sitting on a couch in the outer boroughs, eating, with Julia chortling alongside us...."

Inspired and encouraging, Julie and Julia is a unique opportunity to join one woman's attempt to change her life, and have a laugh, or ten, along the way. --Gisele Toueg

God’s LoveLetters to You

2011-07-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

God’s Love Letters to You

Larry Crabb

Experience a unique conversation with God through a daily devotional reading based on twenty Old Testament and twenty New Testament books of the Bible. Written to help the reader listen to what God is saying in His Word, God’s Love Letters to You offers a life-changing encounter with God through the story He is telling. Author Larry Crabb brings the big picture of God’s story into clearer focus, helping readers catch an enticing glimpse of how each of these forty books of the Bible advances the story. The goal? To lose our story in His.

Each day’s devotional includes:

selected Scripture reading
short devotional message
reflection questions
closing prayer

I like the fact that they are short. It is a good start to quiet time every dya. I like the way the author gives you lot to think about. I found myself learning a lot and getting the encouragement that I needed. Others have said that this book is too simple but I really like it. One of the best parts of this devotional is the focus on a single scripture. You are not looking at 100 different things in the bible. Beth Moore uses tons of scripture and does a great job but this focuses on just one, I liked that.

Disclosure of Material Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher free of charge as a member of the BookSneeze program. In exchange for the book, I agreed to write a review, HOWEVER, the opinions here are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Five Things I Can't Live Without

2011-07-03T19:06:00.000-07:00

Five Things I Can't Live Without
Holly Shumas

Picked this one up at the local bookstore for a quarter, that is about all it is worth. It was fun enough to read while laying in the sun. I wouldn't suggest this book unless you had nothing else to read. It really wasn't all that interesting or thought provoking.

This book was a quick read and at times very entertaining. However, the main character was a little too insecure and self-centered for me to really enjoy the book. It got distracting and I kept wanting to tell her to get a grip.

From Amazon:

Nora, a non-committal 29-year-old suffering from ho-hum career and relationship angst, is the star of Shumas's rocky debut. In short order, Nora impulsively quits her job at a San Francisco animal shelter, moves in-perhaps prematurely-with boyfriend Dan (she didn't really like her roommate all that much, anyway) and ends up ghostwriting bios for Internet daters. She's also deeply involved in her "meta-life," in which she constantly (and, on many occasions, annoyingly) analyzes the way she feels about how she's feeling about what she's doing. Nora begins to learn from her clients, but her nagging uncertainty about figuring what she wants threatens to sabotage her relationship. It takes her a while, and the process isn't always riveting reading, but Nora gets herself sorted out. To her credit, Shumas extracts from Nora's self-involvement a handful of funny moments.

Billy Graham in Quotes

2011-06-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Billy Graham in Quotes
Franklin Graham, Donna Lee Toney, Billy Graham

A great collection of quotes. There are so many amazing powerful quotes in this book. I am not totally sure where all of these quotes come from, maybe old sermons and other books her has published. But there are tons of quotes that I love. He talks about everything. There are quotes about every subject and idea. He talks about suffering, joy, money, addictions, peace, and many more. The book is broken into different sections with their own topics.

One thing I am not crazy about is the footnote system. Each quote is footnoted and in the footnote found on another page it gives the information about where the quotes is actually from. It makes for a lot of flipping back and forth.

I could see how a preacher would love this book. Or someone writing newsletters looking for a quote to put at the top of the page or something like that. I will keep the book on my shelf but I can not guarantee it will be used a ton.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com < [...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 < [...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The CAFE Book

2011-06-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

The CAFE Book: Engaging All Students in Daily Literary Assessment and Instruction
Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

http://www.thedailycafe.com/

C: Comprehension,
A: Accuracy,
F: Fluency, and
E: Enlarging Vocabulary.

All readers of any age need instruction and support that helps them become more independent and self-reflective in their work. – Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

In The CAFE Book, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser present a practical, simple way to integrate assessment into daily reading and classroom discussion. The CAFE system, based on research into the habits of proficient readers, is an acronym for Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding vocabulary. The system includes goal-setting with students in individual conferences, posting of goals on a whole-class board, developing small-group instruction based on clusters of students with similar goals, and targeting whole-class instruction based on emerging student needs.

Gail and Joan developed the CAFE system to support teachers as they:

· organize assessment data so it truly informs instruction;

· track each child's strengths and goals, thereby maximizing time with him or her;

· create flexible groups of students, all focused on a specific reading strategy; and

· help students remember and retrieve the reading strategies they learned.

The CAFE system does not require expensive materials, complicated training, or complete changes to current classroom literacy approaches. Rather, it provides a structure for conferring with students, a language for talking about reading development, and a system for tracking growth and fostering student independence. The CAFE system’s built-in flexibility allows teachers to tailor the system to reflect the needs of their students and their state’s standards. And it’s a perfect complement to The Daily Five, “The Sisters” influential first book, which lays out a structure for keeping all students engaged in productive literacy work for every hour of every classroom day.

Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap

2011-06-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap: Whatever It Takes
By Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Gayle Karhanek

This expansion of the best-selling Whatever It Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don’t Learn expands on original ideas and presses further with new insights on the pyramid of interventions strategy. The authors explore the following questions:

Is the PLC improvement process sustainable?
Is this improvement process transferable?
What is the role of the central office in promoting the PLC concept throughout a district?
How should we enrich and extend the learning of students who are proficient?
What prerequisite framework must be put in place in order for schools to create effective systems of intervention and enrichment?
How have the changes in national educational policy (such as RTI) impacted the premise that schools should have a systematic plan for responding to the learning needs of students?

The authors examine schools and districts across North America that have successfully gone from traditional cultures to PLCs. Case studies of schools and students just like yours provide powerful evidence of the effectiveness of PLC intervention strategies.

The Daily 5

2011-06-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Daily Five: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades
by Gail Boushey

The ideas and lesson procedures discussed in this book are very beneficial to teachers who incorporate balanced literacy components throughout their daily curriculum decisions. The discussion of muscle memory and how to build the students' stamina for longer periods of independent work are clearly laid out for the reader. A sample schedule that shows how to include daily lessons in the beginning weeks of school to build this stamina are detailed in the appendix. I would recommend this book for any teacher who wants to improve students' independent work time.

Do you love teaching but feel exhausted from the energy you expend cajoling, disciplining, and directing students on a daily basis? If so, you'll want to meet “The Sisters”, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. Based on literacy learning and motivation research, they created a structure called The Daily Five which has been practiced and refined in their own classrooms for ten years, and shared with thousands of teachers throughout the United States. The Daily Five is a series of literacy tasks (reading to self, reading with someone, writing, word work, and listening to reading) which students complete daily while the teacher meets with small groups or confers with individuals.

This book not only explains the philosophy behind the structure, but shows you how to carefully and systematically train your students to participate in each of the five components.

Explicit modeling practice, reflecting and refining take place during the launching phase, preparing the foundation for a year of meaningful content instruction tailored to meet the needs of each child.

The Daily Five is more than a management system or a curriculum framework; it is a structure that will help students develop the habits that lead to a lifetime of independent literacy.

Fearless

2011-06-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Max Lucado has written tons of books, I have read several over the years. They are all good. I expected to enjoy reading Fearless, like all his other books.This book was great. I really liked it. One of his best books.

I am not super fearful. I am young and will take lots of risks and dares. I don't let fear stop me very often but this book helped show me that everyone has fears. Fear can look like a ton of different things, which he talks about in the book. He also showed in a very practical way how we can have victory over fear. God doesn't want us to be fearful or scared. He wants us to enjoy life the wants he intended, without fear. He wants us to give our fears to him. The Bible says so many times not to be afraid and this book helps with that.

Good book, you should read it.

The Lost Symbol

2011-05-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown

This was the third time that I read this book. Still amazing!!!

Let's start with the question every Dan Brown fan wants answered: Is The Lost Symbol as good as The Da Vinci Code? Simply put, yes. Brown has mastered the art of blending nail-biting suspense with random arcana (from pop science to religion), and The Lost Symbol is an enthralling mix. And what a dazzling accomplishment that is, considering that rabid fans and skeptics alike are scrutinizing every word.

The Lost Symbol begins with an ancient ritual, a shadowy enclave, and of course, a secret. Readers know they are in Dan Brown territory when, by the end of the first chapter, a secret within a secret is revealed. To tell too much would ruin the fun of reading this delicious thriller, so you will find no spoilers here. Suffice it to say that as with many series featuring a recurring character, there is a bit of a formula at work (one that fans will love). Again, brilliant Harvard professor Robert Langdon finds himself in a predicament that requires his vast knowledge of symbology and superior problem-solving skills to save the day. The setting, unlike other Robert Langdon novels, is stateside, and in Brown's hands Washington D.C. is as fascinating as Paris or Vatican City (note to the D.C. tourism board: get your "Lost Symbol" tour in order). And, as with other Dan Brown books, the pace is relentless, the revelations many, and there is an endless parade of intriguing factoids that will make you feel like you are spending the afternoon with Robert Langdon and the guys from Mythbusters.

Nothing is as it seems in a Robert Langdon novel, and The Lost Symbol itself is no exception--a page-turner to be sure, but Brown also challenges his fans to open their minds to new information. Skeptical? Imagine how many other thrillers would spawn millions of Google searches for noetic science, superstring theory, and Apotheosis of Washington. The Lost Symbol is brain candy of the best sort--just make sure to set aside time to enjoy your meal. --Daphne Durham

Take This Bread

2011-04-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion
Sara Miles

Where is it written that literary women must move to coastal California (if they don't already live there), become Episcopalians and write conversion memoirs? Miles, like recent memoirists Diana Butler Bass, Nora Gallagher and Lindsey Crittenden, loves Jesus and detests the religious right, though she is also critical of "the sappy, Jesus-and-cookies tone of mild-mannered liberal Christianity." Mild-mannered she is not. Converted at age 46 when she impulsively walked into a church and received communion for the first time, the former war correspondent suddenly understood her life's mission: to feed the hungry. What her parish needed, she decided, was a food pantry—and within a year (and over opposition from some fellow parishioners) she had started one that offered free cereal, fruit and vegetables to hundreds of San Francisco's indigent every Friday. Not willing to turn anyone away, she raised funds and helped set up other food pantries in impoverished areas, occasionally "crossing the line from self-righteous do-gooder to crusading zealot." For Miles, Christianity "wasn't an argument I could win, or even resolve. It wasn't a thesis. It was a mystery that I was finally willing to swallow." Grittier than many religious memoirs, Miles's story is a perceptive account of one woman's wholehearted, activist faith.

Water for Elephants

2011-04-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

Water for Elephants: A Novel
Sara Gruen

Jacob Jankowski says: "I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other." At the beginning of Water for Elephants, he is living out his days in a nursing home, hating every second of it. His life wasn't always like this, however, because Jacob ran away and joined the circus when he was twenty-one. It wasn't a romantic, carefree decision, to be sure. His parents were killed in an auto accident one week before he was to sit for his veterinary medicine exams at Cornell. He buried his parents, learned that they left him nothing because they had mortgaged everything to pay his tuition, returned to school, went to the exams, and didn't write a single word. He walked out without completing the test and wound up on a circus train. The circus he joins, in Depression-era America, is second-rate at best. With Ringling Brothers as the standard, Benzini Brothers is far down the scale and pale by comparison.
Water for Elephants is the story of Jacob's life with this circus. Sara Gruen spares no detail in chronicling the squalid, filthy, brutish circumstances in which he finds himself. The animals are mangy, underfed or fed rotten food, and abused. Jacob, once it becomes known that he has veterinary skills, is put in charge of the "menagerie" and all its ills. Uncle Al, the circus impresario, is a self-serving, venal creep who slaps people around because he can. August, the animal trainer, is a certified paranoid schizophrenic whose occasional flights into madness and brutality often have Jacob as their object. Jacob is the only person in the book who has a handle on a moral compass and as his reward he spends most of the novel beaten, broken, concussed, bleeding, swollen and hungover. He is the self-appointed Protector of the Downtrodden, and... he falls in love with Marlena, crazy August's wife. Not his best idea.
The most interesting aspect of the book is all the circus lore that Gruen has so carefully researched. She has all the right vocabulary: grifters, roustabouts, workers, cooch tent, rubes, First of May, what the band plays when there's trouble, Jamaican ginger paralysis, life on a circus train, set-up and take-down, being run out of town by the "revenooers" or the cops, and losing all your hooch. There is one glorious passage about Marlena and Rosie, the bull elephant, that truly evokes the magic a circus can create. It is easy to see Marlena's and Rosie's pink sequins under the Big Top and to imagine their perfect choreography as they perform unbelievable stunts. The crowd loves it--and so will the reader. The ending is absolutely ludicrous and really quite lovely. --Valerie Ryan

For One More Day

2011-03-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

For One More Day
Mitch Albom

In this second novel from Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven author Albom, grief-stricken Charles "Chick" Benetto goes into an alcoholic tailspin when his always-attentive mother, Pauline, dies. Framed as an "as told to" story, Chick quickly narrates her funeral; his drink-fueled loss of savings, job ("sales") and family; and his descent into loneliness and isolation. After a suicide attempt, Chick encounters Pauline's ghost. Together, the two revisit Pauline's travails raising her children alone after his father abandons them: she braves the town's disapproval of her divorce and works at a beauty parlor, taking an extra job to put money aside for the children's education. Pauline cringes at the heartache Chick inflicted as a demanding child, obnoxious teen and brusque, oblivious adult chasing the will-o'-the-wisp of a baseball career. Through their story, Albom foregrounds family sanctity, maternal self-sacrifice and the destructive power of personal ambition and male self-involvement. He wields pathos as if it were a Louisville Slugger—shoveling dirt into Pauline's grave, Chick hears her spirit cry out, " 'Oh, Charley. How could you?' "—but Albom often strikes a nerve on his way to the heart.

Timeless Running Wisdom

2011-03-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Timeless Running Wisdom

Richard Benyo

In Timeless Running Wisdom, longtime runner and author Rich Benyo takes you on a journey spanning the trends of the sport and the approaches, concepts, and methods that have bred success and satisfaction across generations of runners. Discover how to embrace simplicity; change up routes, distances, and terrains; keep your running in proportion to the rest of your life; and create your own adventure runs. It’s all here—practical, compelling, and fantastic.

On this quest of rediscovery, you’ll be joined by an all-star array of world- and national-class runners with literally millions of miles of experience and wisdom, including:

• Kathrine Switzer
• Roger Robinson
• Joe Henderson <------ my old coach!!!
• Bill Rodgers
• Dean Karnazes
• Amby Burfoot
• Joan Benoit-Samuelson

Through their personal stories, insights, and advice, they illustrate the essence of running success and satisfaction and guide you to achieving your every running goal. With this unique perspective you’ll find the tools and the maps to run longer, safer, and better.

The ultimate runner’s toolbox, Timeless Running Wisdom is also your GPS to the world’s oldest sport. Read this book and you will remember why you fell in love with running in the first place.

The Undomestic Goddess

2011-03-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Undomestic Goddess
Sophie Kinsella

Samantha Sweeting, the 29-year-old heroine of Kinsella's latest confection (after Shopaholic Sister), is on the verge of partnership at the prestigious London law firm Carter Spink—the Holy Grail of her entire workaholic life. But when she finds she has made a terrible, costly mistake just before the partnership decision, she's terrified of being fired. In a fog, she stumbles out of the building and onto the nearest train, which drops her in the countryside, where she wanders to a stately home. The nouveau riche lady of the house mistakes her for the new housekeeper—and Samantha is too astonished to correct her. Numb and unable to face returning to London, Samantha tries to master the finer points of laundry, cooking and cleaning. She discovers that the slow life, her pompous but good-hearted employers and the attentions of the handsome gardener, Nathaniel, suit her just fine. But her past is hard to escape, and when she discovers a terrible secret about her firm—and when the media learns that the former legal star is scrubbing toilets for a living—her life becomes more complicated than ever. If readers can swallow the implausible scenario, then Kinsella's genuine charm and sweet wit may continue to win her fans.

Shopaholic & Baby

2011-03-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

Shopaholic & Baby
Sophie Kinsella

Hail the return of Kinsella's airhead heroine, Becky Bloomwood, now married, pregnant and working as the head personal shopper for a brand-new London boutique. In this latest installment of the Shopaholic franchise (Shopaholic Ties the Knot; Shopaholic Takes Manhattan; etc.), the commercially insatiable Bex shops for two in every upscale baby shop and catalogue in London, snags a celebrity ob/gyn and leverages a pair of the moment's "most coveted" boots to negotiate a home purchase. Complicating an otherwise uneventful pregnancy, Becky suspects her husband, PR biz-wiz Luke Brandon, is having an affair with her hot doc (who also happens to be Luke's ex-girlfriend), so she hires a gumshoe with predictable madcap results. For chick lit lovers with babies of their own, or for those who covet one, Kinsella mines a rich vein by tweaking 21st-century glossy mag obsessions: from sonograms to the hottest baby strollers to tricked-out birthing rooms. Kinsella's ode to baby blues is both sly and slapstick—and for now, at least, Becky is more lovably Lucille Ball than annoyingly Paris Hilton.

Shopaholic & Sister

2011-03-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Shopaholic & Sister
Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) returns with a vengeance in bestseller Kinsella's fourth Shopaholic novel. Her 10-month globe-trot with hubby Luke was a shopping spree disguised as a honeymoon—heck, Becky will walk across hot coals for an aquamarine necklace (and thereby trick her Sri Lankan yogi into thinking she's achieved enlightenment)—but the problems of the real world (sort of) surface once the happy couple lands back in London. ("Luke's penthouse has its own lift right to the front door, which is just so cool!"). Even lovely Luke's patience is supremely tried when those two truckloads of purchases show up. What's worse: Becky's best friend, Suze, has found a new best friend, and her parents have discovered another daughter. Seems Dad had a fling with a train stewardess back in the 1970s—and Jessica was the result. Becky is over the moon, picturing heart-to-heart talks, shopping excursions, sisters' nights out and so forth—so she's totally unprepared for the actual Jessica, a frugal environmentalist who (gasp!) actually hates shopping. Prattling Becky tries to charm her sis, but it doesn't seem to be working; meanwhile, Luke is preoccupied with his job, and then there's that stranger from Milan whom Becky owes for getting her that impossibly perfect Angel bag... what does he want with Luke? Of course everything will work out in the end—and there will be a nice message about the importance of friends and family—but this installment isn't as winning as its predecessors.

Shopaholic Ties the Knot

2011-02-21T07:32:00.000-08:00

Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Sophie Kinsella

The irresistible heroine of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Takes Manhattan is back!--in a hilarious tale of mothers and daughters, mothers and sons, and one blushing bride who just can’t say no to saying “I do.”

Life has been good for Becky Bloomwood: She’s become the best personal shopper at Barneys, she and her successful entrepreneurial boyfriend, Luke, are living happily in Manhattan’s West Village, and her new next door neighbor is a fashion designer! But with her best friend, Suze, engaged, how can Becky fail to notice that her own ring finger is bare? Not that she’s been thinking of marriage (or diamonds) or anything...

Then Luke proposes! Bridal registries dance in Becky’s head. Problem is, two other people are planning her wedding: Becky’s overjoyed mother has been waiting forever to host a backyard wedding, with the bride resplendent in Mum’s frilly old gown. While Luke’s high-society mother is insisting on a glamorous, all-expenses-paid affair at the Plaza. Both weddings for the same day. And Becky can’t seem to turn down either one. Can everyone’s favorite shopaholic tie the knot before everything unravels?

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

2011-01-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Sophie Kinsella

The world is a different place since Helen Fielding triumphed on both sides of the Atlantic, but the torrent of benignly self-indulgent Bridget Jones's Diary knockoffs has not subsided. In this sequel to Kinsella's bestselling Confessions of a Shopaholic, Becky Bloomwood, a personal finance "expert" with her own TV show, is more of a financial mess than ever: she can't stop shopping, even though she can't afford anything. She's even assigned her flatmate, Suze, to monitor her spending, but to no avail: Becky is full of cute rationalizations, like "Foreign money doesn't count, so you can spend as much as you like," and can't stop herself from sneaking into posh boutiques. Her work-obsessed boyfriend, Luke, runs a financial PR agency, and when he gets the green light to open an office in New York City, he brings Becky along. Upon her arrival in the Big Apple, she euphorically discovers Barney's, Saks, Sephora and sample sales but when wind of her shopping excesses gets back to the British press, she loses both her relationship and her TV job. Becky manages to save the day in predictably winning fashion, with plenty of comic moments along the way. Sure, it's tongue-in-cheek and all in good fun but will the barrage of shopping hijinks be enough to hold readers this time around? Kinsella creates some winning characters, but the credit card and shopping bag action is wearing dangerously thin.

Confessions of a Shopaholic

2011-01-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

Confessions of a Shopaholic (Shopaholic, No 1)
Sophie Kinsella

If you've ever paid off one credit card with another, thrown out a bill before opening it, or convinced yourself that buying at a two-for-one sale is like making money, then this silly, appealing novel is for you. In the opening pages of Confessions of a Shopaholic, recent college graduate Rebecca Bloomwood is offered a hefty line of credit by a London bank. Within a few months, Sophie Kinsella's heroine has exceeded the limits of this generous offer, and begins furtively to scan her credit-card bills at work, certain that she couldn't have spent the reported sums.

In theory anyway, the world of finance shouldn't be a mystery to Rebecca, since she writes for a magazine called Successful Saving. Struggling with her spendthrift impulses, she tries to heed the advice of an expert and appreciate life's cheaper pleasures: parks, museums, and so forth. Yet her first Saturday at the Victoria and Albert Museum strikes her as a waste. Why? There's not a price tag in sight.

It kind of takes the fun out of it, doesn't it? You wander round, just looking at things, and it all gets a bit boring after a while. Whereas if they put price tags on, you'd be far more interested. In fact, I think all museums should put prices on their exhibits. You'd look at a silver chalice or a marble statue or the Mona Lisa or whatever, and admire it for its beauty and historical importance and everything--and then you'd reach for the price tag and gasp, "Hey, look how much this one is!" It would really liven things up.

Eventually, Rebecca's uncontrollable shopping and her "imaginative" solutions to her debt attract the attention not only of her bank manager but of handsome Luke Brandon--a multimillionaire PR representative for a finance group frequently covered in Successful Saving. Unlike her opposite number in Bridget Jones's Diary, however, Rebecca actually seems too scattered and spacey to reel in such a successful man. Maybe it's her Denny and George scarf. In any case, Kinsella's debut makes excellent fantasy reading for the long stretches between white sales and appliance specials.

The Essential 55

2010-12-29T23:10:00.001-08:00

The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child
Ron Clark

Ron Clark teaches school. He has 55 rules of "engagement" for anything from good manners (Don't take the largest piece of pie, Always say Thank-You, Make Eye Contact) to rules of responsibility and deportment (Enter the field trip building silently, Do not talk in the movies, unwrap your candy before the film to keep from disturbing others.)

These rules teach his students to be polite and attentive, to understand if they don't hand in assignments, there will be consequences (even if the assignment is just a little blue card they have to return to him the next day.) But Ron is no martinet--he has weird rules (No Doritos, just because...and a funny story to make the rule amusing.) His War of the Onions against a sadly jealous fellow teacher is both hysterically funny and touching.

Ron Clark shows the world that kids anywhere can learn to be well-brought up and polite, that manners and rules help them succeed. He makes the very important point that a teacher is an important influence since he or she is with those kids for more time during the day than the parents.
This book is fun to read and is a great story. It is also a MUST-READ for any school teacher who wants to excel with their students and give them something of tremendous value to carry them through the rest of their lives with honor and grace--good manners and good behavior.

Bravo, Ron Clark!

Alice, I Think

2010-12-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

Alice, I Think
Susan Juby

I thought this would be a good book about the transition between home schooling and public education. Wrong. Not only does this book hardly focus on Alice returning to public, "real" education. It also makes homeschoolers look like total weirdoes, incapable of fitting in with normal society. I found it insulting that people would read this book and draw INCORRECT conclusions from it about how home schooled children have grown up.

On a more technical, less personal note, I found Juby's writing to be insipid, her characters annoying, and the plot downright boring. I couldn't care less about Alice, or her "problems." She came across not as a young teenager trying to find herself, but as a stupid little girl incapable of thinking for herself. I had absolutely no sympathy for her and really just found her annoying.

Little Girls Can Be Mean

2010-12-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

Little Girls Can Be Mean: Four Steps to Bully-proof Girls in the Early Grades
Michelle Anthony M.A. Ph.D. and Reyna Lindert Ph.D

I picked this book up to try and get some insight into my students. They can be so mean!! This book is written for parents of younger children but it was still helpful. I have a few ideas of things that I can do with my students so maybe they will realize how mean they are. They are just so mean. I never thought that middle school kids would be this mean. I don't think I was this mean. UGH!!

From clinical studies to mainstream media, the problem of girl aggression has been the subject of growing concern, but most of the recent focus has been on middle- and high-school students, not on elementary-school girls. That’s part of the problem, argue the authors of this reassuring guide that offers practical tips and personal anecdotes aimed at alleviating female “relational aggression” in the critical early grades. In each chapter, the authors, both developmental psychologists, illustrate how adults can guide girls through a four-step process to identify and deal with tough social situations. Throughout, boxed activities for educators, parents, and girls themselves give the title a highly interactive, proactive feel, and an appended section suggests ways that adults can apply the same techniques to their own lives. More than just invaluable advice about preparing girls to cope with bullying, gossip, and friendship riffs, these are empowering strategies for adults to communicate and connect with their daughters while they are at a highly receptive age and to help them develop resilient self-esteem before they hit the middle-school jungle.

The Last Battle

2010-12-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

The Last Battle - The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 7

CS Lewis

The world of Narnia is coming to an end. A false Aslan is abroad in the land, and the people (and beasts) struggle to follow what they think is the truth. Eustace and Jill, from The Silver Chair, are sent to Narnia to help the last king of that land rally his troops for the final battle.

This is the apocalyptic volume of The Chronicles of Narnia. If The Magician's Nephew speaks of a creation reminiscent of the book of Genesis, this book speaks of an end reminiscent of that foretold in the book of Revelation. Here, everything comes to an end, and the entire purpose of the existence of Narnia is finally explained by Aslan. The Christian references are unmistakable. Aslan, like the Biblical Christ in Revelation, triumphantly comes to bring an end to his world and save his people. Most of the material in this book is very Christian-like, all the way down to the separating of the creatures on the right and left hands of Aslan.

This, the final volume of the Chronicles, brings everything to a head. This book provides the so-called meaning of life, and gives validity and value to all of the good deeds the children have been trying to do since the first book. Here, the good have their reward. The descriptions in this book (especially the end) are absolutely beautiful, and the finale is nothing short of moving. Lewis, a master of Christian apology, succeeds here in bringing to life the Christian concept of the end of the world, and of the final rewards of the just. No part of the Chronicles of Narnia would be complete without the vision afforded by this, the final book.

The Last Lecture

2010-12-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

The Last Lecture
Randy Pausch

From someone else:
One of the staples of "the college experience" at many schools is the "last lecture" --- a beloved professor sums up a lifetime of scholarship and teaching as if he/she were heading out the door for the last time. It's the kind of tweed-jacket-with-elbow-patches talk that may or may not impart useful knowledge and lasting inspiration, but almost surely gives all present some warm and fuzzy feelings.

But a "last lecture" by Randy Pausch was different in every possible way. The professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University was just 46, and this really was his last lecture --- he was dying.

And dying fast. In the summer of 2006, Pausch had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a ferociously efficient killer. Only 4% of its victims are alive five years after diagnosis. Most die much faster. Think months, not years.

Pausch fought back. Surgery. Chemo. Progress. But in August of 2007, the cancer returned --- and now it had metastasized to his liver and spleen. The new prognosis: 3-6 months of relative health, then a quick dispatch to the grave, leaving behind a wife and three little kids.

On September 18, 2007 --- less than a month later --- Randy Pausch gave his last lecture.

No one would have faulted him for launching a blast about desperately seizing opportunities in an irrational universe. Instead, Pausch delivered a laugh-filled session of teaching stories about going after your childhood dreams and helping others achieve theirs and enjoying every moment in your life --- even the ones that break your heart. Pausch's philosophy, in brief: "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

The lecture was taped, and slapped up on YouTube. Jeffrey Zaslow wrote about it in The Wall Street Journal, and news shows made Pausch "person of the week" --- and soon Pausch had a book deal reported to be worth almost $7 million. Few expected him to be alive when it was published.

On February 19, I interviewed Randy Pausch for Reader's Digest. To the surprise of many --- including Pausch --- he was still his recognizable, energetic self. As I write (in early April, 2008), Pausch reports he's recovering from a standing eight count. But his good news doesn't deceive him. He notes that pancreatic cancer did to the photographer Dith Pran ("The Killing Fields") what Pol Pot couldn't --- it buried him in three months.

And now we have the book. It's two books, really, because it reads one way with the author still among us and will surely read differently when "The Last Lecture" is like the The Butterfly and the Diving Bell --- the record of a dead man, talking. The first book invites your support and gives you a wake-up call. The second, I suspect, is also a wake-up call but, between the lines, reminds you that even happiness can't save you from death.

Somewhere in between --- in the quiet space where a book really lives --- is a document that accomplishes a lot in 200 pages. It's about paying attention to what you think is important (when asked how he got tenure early, Pausch replied, "Call me at my office at 10 o'clock on Friday night and I'll tell you") and working hard and listening really well. It's easy to miss that last part of that in the emotion and the stories surrounding this book, but Pausch argues that hearing what other people say about you and your work is crucial to success and happiness. Because this is what you get: "a feedback loop for life."

So, if you must, shed your tears for Randy Pausch. Imagine what it would be like if you or your dearest loved one drew the card called pancreatic cancer. And then put dying aside, and get on with your dreams. Amazing how many you can achieve if you want them badly enough. And how they have the power to cushion the pain when the bad stuff happens.

Sounds crazy, I know: Pollyanna in the cancer ward. But I talked with the guy. And we laughed and laughed. Of all the achievements in a life that's winding down, that's got to be up there.

When You Reach Me

2010-12-12T22:24:00.000-08:00

When You Reach Me
Rebecca Stead

"When You Reach Me" is a rare gem of young adult fiction: an involving story whose subtle writing and characterization pull you in as much as the mystery that binds the story together. I liked the slice of life of 1979 New York as twelve-year old Miranda and her friends explore their neighborhood, giving us a bit of a Free-Range Kids perspective on days gone by.

Miranda gains and loses friends, and grapples with normal sixth-grade angst, but her worries take on a new twist when she discovers mysterious notes from someone who tries to convince her that he or she can see things that have not happened yet, adding fantasy and sci-fi into this realistic setting where you'd least expect it. Once the mystery has been solved, many readers will want to go back and read the story a second time to see how the pieces fit together in a new light.

In a thematic parallel, Miranda's experiences reflect her own shifting ability to see situations through other people's eyes. She also learns that giving or withholding small acts of kindness or meanness can have big consequences. What I love though is that the story is told in a way that does not feel at all preachy.

This is a great book for anyone ages 10 and up. It would be okay for younger kids, but those readers have so many choices that I would save "When You Reach Me" for age 10, because in my experience it's harder to find good books for that age. Also, the point of view of the story is a bit tricky (skillful, but unconventional), as Miranda writes to her mystery correspondent, which could be confusing for younger readers but an interesting challenge for older kids.

Living on Purpose

2010-12-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

Living on Purpose: Finding God's Best for Your Life
Tom Sine and Christine Sine

Christine Sine, a former medical missionary, and Tom Sine (Mustard Seed vs. McWorld) here challenge overachievers afflicted with "hurry sickness" to discover "God's best" for their lives. The Sines' premise is that the values of contemporary American culture, which they represent allegorically as those of "Boom City," are counter to the values of "the City of Shalom." For example, they state that the purposes of Boom City "elevate the individual pursuit of happiness as the cardinal goal of life," while "the good life of God is found through losing our lives in service to God and others." In order for people to remove themselves from the hustle of Boom City, the Sines provide a roadmap constructed of "off-ramp" reflective exercises structured by biblical principles and interwoven with anecdotes. The ultimate goal of the book is to provide readers with steps for developing a life-changing personal or family mission statement, which can then be fine-tuned as individuals reflect on how they are meeting their spiritual, physical and financial goals. The Sines differentiate their book from others that encourage mission statements, such as Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, by stressing that it is grounded in Scripture and the question "What kind of people does God want us to be?" The steps and exercises that the Sines provide are practical and their principles compelling, but one wonders how their intended audience will ever get off the highway long enough to listen.

The Magician's Nephew

2010-12-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

The Magician's Nephew
C. S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew brings the reader back to the very beginning of Narnia where we learn how Aslan created the world and how evil first entered it. Digory Kirke and his friend Polly Plummer stumble into different worlds by experimenting with magic rings made by Digory's uncle, encounter Jadis (The White Witch) in the dying world of Charn, and witness the creation of Narnia. Many long-standing questions about Narnia are answered in the adventure that follows.

Freakonomics

2010-10-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Steven D. Levitt Stephen J. Dubner

Economics is not widely considered to be one of the sexier sciences. The annual Nobel Prize winner in that field never receives as much publicity as his or her compatriots in peace, literature, or physics. But if such slights are based on the notion that economics is dull, or that economists are concerned only with finance itself, Steven D. Levitt will change some minds. In Freakonomics (written with Stephen J. Dubner), Levitt argues that many apparent mysteries of everyday life don't need to be so mysterious: they could be illuminated and made even more fascinating by asking the right questions and drawing connections. For example, Levitt traces the drop in violent crime rates to a drop in violent criminals and, digging further, to the Roe v. Wade decision that preempted the existence of some people who would be born to poverty and hardship. Elsewhere, by analyzing data gathered from inner-city Chicago drug-dealing gangs, Levitt outlines a corporate structure much like McDonald's, where the top bosses make great money while scores of underlings make something below minimum wage. And in a section that may alarm or relieve worried parents, Levitt argues that parenting methods don't really matter much and that a backyard swimming pool is much more dangerous than a gun. These enlightening chapters are separated by effusive passages from Dubner's 2003 profile of Levitt in The New York Times Magazine, which led to the book being written. In a book filled with bold logic, such back-patting veers Freakonomics, however briefly, away from what Levitt actually has to say. Although maybe there's a good economic reason for that too, and we're just not getting it yet. --John Moe

Waiting for "SUPERMAN"

2010-10-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Waiting for "SUPERMAN": How We Can Save America's Failing Public Schools
Participant Media (Author), Karl Weber (Editor)

he American public school system is in crisis, failing millions of students, producing as many drop-outs as graduates, and threatening our economic future. By 2020, the United States will have 123 million high-skill jobs to fill—and fewer than 50 million Americans qualified to fill them.

Educators, parents, political leaders, business people, and concerned citizens are determined to save our educational system. Waiting for "Superman" offers powerful insights from some of those at the leading edge of educational innovation, including Bill and Melinda Gates, Michelle Rhee, Geoffrey Canada, and more.

Waiting for "Superman" is an inspiring call for reform and includes special chapters that provide resources, ideas, and hands-on suggestions for improving the schools in your own community as well as throughout the nation.

For parents, teachers, and concerned citizens alike, Waiting for "Superman" is an essential guide to the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing America’s schools.

The Silver Chair

2010-10-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

The Silver Chair
C. S. Lewis

Eustace and Jill are called from their school to Narnia by Aslan for a task. King Caspian is old and his only son, Prince Rilian, has been taken hostage. Teaming up with the marsh-wiggle Puddleglum, they journey north from Narnia. But with winter fast approaching, their journey isn't easy. Not to mention the danger they face from giants and a stranger they meet. Will they remember to follow the signs Aslan gave them to help them on their way? Even if they do, can they save the prince?

River, Cross My Hear

2010-10-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

River, Cross My Heart: A Novel (Oprah's Book Club)
Breena Clarke

Really not that great a book, I would not suggest it. I find the book to be a jumble of words with no direction or focus. I almost stopped reading it several times because I kept waiting to discover the plot. Character development is pretty poor and the story line is practically non-existent.
Oprah Book Club® Selection, October 1999: Breena Clarke's first novel takes place in Georgetown in 1925, where a large and close-knit African American community took shape beneath the shadow of segregation. At the center of the story is baby Clara, who is swallowed by the Potomac as her sister, Johnnie Mae, cools off in the brackish water. It's the only place the girls can find relief--they're banned from the new, clean swimming pool the white kids use.
After Clara drowns, the river is never the same, and Johnnie Mae hovers on the edge of womanhood wondering if she'll be able to get past her guilt and emptiness. In an eloquent passage, Clarke writes, "Losing a loved one, a family member, is like losing a tooth. After a while, those teeth remaining shift and lean and spread out to split the distance between themselves and the other teeth still left, trying to close up spaces."
Bits of wisdom like this are the book's charm. Most remarkable are the church scenes, which Clarke renders almost purely in the give-and-take of voices: the booming preacher's sermon ("The people we love, we only borrowing them"), and the congregation's "Praise Jesus, Amen" exclamations. The author based her novel on stories passed down in Georgetown--tales of that area's first black churches, founded when people decided they wanted their own place of worship, and implicitly their own God. In church the novel takes flight. Elsewhere River, Cross My Heart suffers from clumsy, purple prose, and a plot that moves forward in labored fits and starts. Clarke painstakingly tries to re-create this past world, but sometimes it seems her duty to history is holding her back, bogging her down in period-piece details. In the effortless church scenes, history loses its gravity and is absorbed by grace. --Emily White

Boundaries in Daiting

2010-10-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

Boundaries in Dating
Dr. Henry Clolud
Dr. John Townsend

So I thought I might need a little refresher so I read this book again. Yes, I did just read it over the summer so it wasn't that long ago but I thought it would be good to read again. I totally busted it out in a day which is cool. I still took some notes and learned a ton. I am looking forward to putting this into practice. I really think I should read this book every year or so.

I'm not going to do the whole summary thing, just look back a couple of months to find the last time I read it. This may be the third time I have posted about this book on this blog but it is just that good.

In Pursuit of the Ideal

2010-10-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

In Pursuit of the Ideal
By Nancy Wilson

What would you like to be?
Thinner, smarter, prettier. That's what the world expects you to be. But what is the true ideal? And how can you ever achieve it? Nancy Wilson explores these questions and helps you find the answers you have been searching for. And the answers may surprise you.

"In Pursuit of the Ideal is a timely book written to a generation that needs, above everything, to know the identity and worth with which it has been created. Nancy has done an incredible job in touching the heart of the issue, through her vulnerability and willingness to share her own personal journey."
Josh and Dottie McDowell

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior

2010-10-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles of the Cross
Max Lucado

Its tragedy summons all sufferers. Its hope lures all searchers. No one can ignore the cross. In this compelling quest for the Messiah, Lucado invites readers to meet the blue-collar Jew whose claim altered a world and whose promise has never been equaled. No Wonder They Call Him the Savior! "Do you know Him?" Lucado asks his readers. Really know Him? They will when Lucado brings them full circle to the foot of the cross-even if they've been there before. Because now they can see how it all comes down to this one place. To this one death. To this one Life.

Traveling Light

2010-09-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Traveling Light; Releasing the Burdens You Were Never Intended to Bear
Max Lucado

Feel the need to throw off the cumbersome burdens that weigh you down? Certainly, responsible adults learn to adjust to tremendous stresses and equip themselves to carry the heavy weights of self-reliance, weariness, worry and hopelessness over the long haul. But this is not necessary, says bestselling author Lucado (Just Like Jesus; He Chose the Nails; The Applause of Heaven). In Psalm 23, God counters the misconception that burden-bearing signals Christian maturity and admonishes followers to leave their loads at Christ's feet, as he is the only one truly equipped to handle the weight. Lucado dissects Psalm 23 while recounting tender tales of men and women who have overcome crushing circumstances with Christ's support. In keeping with Lucado's typical homespun style, humorous anecdotes often precede powerful punches of biblical truth. Rounding out this collection of essays is a study guide encapsulating each chapter's topic. Readers will travel back, up and on as they reread key excerpts, study pertinent Bible verses and allow the lessons to take root. This insightful collection not only measures up to the high standard of Lucado's own previous works, but his profound perspective on life and spirituality frequently exceeds expectations.

Cure for the Common Life

2010-09-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot
Max Lucado

Fantastic book. I want to read it again in another month or two. It was so cull of good stuff. It was really affirming of my life choices. He writes about finding what God has called you to do and making that your life and bring it all together. It was awesome.

"Sweet spot." Golfers understand the term. So do tennis players. Ever swung a baseball bat or paddled a Ping-Pong ball? If so, you know the oh-so-nice feel of the sweet spot. Life in the sweet spot rolls like the downhill side of a downwind bike ride. But you don't have to swing a bat or a club to know this. What engineers give sports equipment, God gave you.A zone, a region, a life precinct in which you were made to dwell. He tailored the curves of your life to fit an empty space in his jigsaw puzzle. And life makes sweet sense when you find your spot.

But if you're like 87 percent of workers, you haven't found it. You don't find meaning in your work--or you're one of the 80 percent who don't believe their talents are used. What can you do? You're suffering from the common life, and you desperately need a cure.

Best-selling author Max Lucado has found it. In Cure for the Common Life he offers practical tools for exploring and identifying your own uniqueness, motivation to put your strengths to work, and the perfect prescription for finding and living in your sweet spot for the rest of your life.

Breakfast with Buddha

2010-09-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

Breakfast with Buddha: A Novel
Roland Merullo

Not a fan :( Honestly, i didn't care for this book. I couldn't really get into the plot and I thought merullo's characterization was weak. the premise is semi-interesting, so I'm sure he could've done a better job with the writing. however,Ii still don't think he could've convinced me of his "moral," which seems to be that you can always be more spiritual/a better person than who you are now. While I definitely believe in growth and growth potentials, right now I'm more preoccupied with accepting myself as-is.

Living Beyond the Limits

2010-09-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

Living Beyond the Limits: A Life in Sync with God

Franklin Graham

This was an incredible and inspiring book. Some of the stories in here you will never forget. You'll hear of how God can make huge miracles out of missed flights, out of caring for your enemy, and many other things. You'll realize that in all situations there can be many blessings and many opportunities if you're open to it. Every day, we pass up so many chances to help others and to share the gospel with them. Have you ever seen a hitchhiker on the road and just kept going? Or kept walking past a crying person in the airport? Have you ever seen a fellow Christian go astray but were afraid to say anything? The people in this book don't pass up those opportunities, and their stories will amaze you. You will be astounded at the courage and the love displayed by the people in the book. It's a very powerful book and I strongly recommend it for anyone and everyone. Being more in touch with God's will for our lives is something we all need.

The Horse and His Boy

2010-09-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Horse and His Boy
C. S. Lewis

When Shasta discovers he is not Arsheesh's son and therefore does not belong in the cruel land of Calormen, he joins forces with Bree the talking horse and flees north towards Narnia, where freedom reigns.
And so begins their hazardous journey, fraught with mystery and danger. Calormen's capital city of Tashbaan must be crossed, a harsh desert endured, the high mountains of Archenland climbed, their enemies overcome. For the young Shasta it is an adventure beyond his wildest dreams and one destined to change his life forever.
This acclaimed BBC Radio dramatization perfectly captures C.S. Lewis' magical world, inviting us to "breathe" the sweet air of Narnia once again and to join the mighty Aslan and his people in defending its most precious borders.

Imaginary Jesus

2010-09-06T16:44:00.000-07:00

Imaginary Jesus
Matt Mikalatos

The Apostle Peter punches Jesus in the face, then chases him out of a coffee shop. And that's just chapter 0. In this quirky tale the publisher describes as not-quite-true, former missionary and comic book store clerk Mikalatos disguises his critique of Christian life in an action-based quest to find the real Jesus. It's A Christmas Carol meets Oz, but instead of ghosts and tin men, it's a talking donkey, a motorcycle rider, and Mikalatos himself. The cast of characters drags the reader through the streets of Seattle and ancient Judea to introduce a host of fake Jesuses: Magic 8 Ball Jesus, Harley Jesus, even Liberal Social Services Jesus. They're constructs of the human mind. People invent a Jesus for one specific reason and then discard him when they don't need him anymore, says one of the Jesuses (the one with an expensive suit). Peter teaches Mikalatos that he must quiet falsehoods and mold a deeper relationship with the living, historical Jesus. Mixing questions of suffering and free will with a nexus of weirdness, Mikalatos throws Christian fiction into the world of Comic-Con and Star Wars. His silly quest is startling, contemporary, meaningful, and occasionally exhausting when the reader is puzzled. It begs for a comic book counterpart.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2010-09-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
C. S. Lewis.

The two youngest Pevensie children, Lucy and Edmund, are staying with their odious cousin Eustace Scrubb while their older brother Peter is studying for his university entrance exams with Professor Kirke, and their older sister Susan is traveling through America with their parents. Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace are drawn into the Narnian world through a picture of a ship at sea. (The painting, hanging neglected in the guest bedroom that the Pevensie children were using, had been an unwanted present to Eustace's parents.) The three children land in the ocean near the pictured vessel, the titular Dawn Treader, and are taken aboard.

How to Get a Date Worth Keeping

2010-08-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

How to Get a Date Worth Keeping
Henry Cloud Henry Cloud

Geared for the reported 3.5 million evangelical Christian singles in America, this guide by Cloud-author of the bestselling Boundaries series of relationship books-offers sound advice on the dating game. Some of his tenets may take Christian readers by surprise: he asserts, for example, that there's no one Mr. or Ms. Right for each person, and that people should stop waiting around for a dream individual to sweep them off their feet. ("God guides and provides," Cloud states, "but he also requires us to do our part.") He also asserts that dating is not just a precursor to marriage, disagreeing with those Christians who refuse to date unless they glimpse a tiered wedding cake at the end of the rainbow. Non-serious dating, Cloud writes, is an essential step in the process of eventually finding a mate, because it teaches people what they need and want through trial and error. Cloud unveils a whole program for "getting out there" in the dating world: singles should keep a log of all the eligible people they meet; go places where other singles go (Cloud calls this "changing your traffic pattern"); consider joining a dating service; and forget the "love at first sight" myth. He even suggests dating non-Christians-which will raise some evangelical eyebrows-while repeating his proviso that dating is not marriage. Most of the book's examples are of women seeking men, but all Christian singles can benefit from this practical, down-to-earth manual.

Prince Caspian

2010-08-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
C. S. Lewis

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensey, the heroes and heroines from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, return in this fourth installment of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. The four children are transported from an English train station to an island in the world of Narnia. Though Narnia has been at peace since the children left, it is now under the control of Wicked King Mirax. The youngsters, along with Aslan the great lion, must help young Prince Caspian restore Narnia's glorious past.

Narnia . . . the land between the lamp-post and the castle of Cair Paravel, where animals talk, where magical things happen . . . and where the adventure begins. Peter, Susan Edmund and Lucy are returning to boarding school when they are summoned from the dreary train station (by Susan's own magic horn) to return to the land of Narnia -- the land where they had ruled as kings and queens and where their help is desperately needed.

Boundaries in Dating

2010-08-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

Boundaries in Dating
Henry Cloud

Dating can be fun, but it's not easy. Meeting people is just one concern. Once you've met someone, then what? What do you build? Nothing, a simple friendship, or more? How do you set smart limits on physical involvement? Financial involvement? Individual responsibilities? Respected counselors, popular radio hosts, and best-selling authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend apply the principles described in their Gold Medallion Award-winning Boundaries to matters of love and romance. Helping readers bridge the pitfalls of dating, Boundaries in Dating unfolds a wise, biblical path to developing self-control, freedom, and intimacy in the dating process. Boundaries in Dating helps singles to think, solve problems, and enjoy the benefits of dating to the hilt, increasing their abilities to find and commit to a marriage partner. Liberally illustrated with insightful, true-life examples, this much-needed book includes such topics as: Sins You Can Live With--Recognizing and choosing quality over perfection in a dating partner - Don't Fall in Love with Someone You Wouldn't Be Friends With--How to ensure that honest friendship is one vital component in a relationship - Don't Screw Up a Friendship Out of Loneliness--Preserving friendships by separating between platonic relationships and romantic interest - Kiss False Hope Good-Bye--Moving past denial to deal with real relational problems in a realistic and hopeful way . . . and much more.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

2010-08-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C. S. Lewis

Open the door and enter a new world.

Narnia...the land beyond the wardrobe door, a secret place frozen in eternal winter... a magical country waiting to be set free.

Lucy is the first to find the secret of the wardrobe in the professor's mysterious old house. At first her brothers and sisters don't believe her when she tells them of her visit to the land of Narnia. But soon Edmund, then Peter and Susan step through the wardrobe and find a country under the evil enchantment of the White Witch. They meet the Lion Aslan and realize they've been called to join the battle to free Narnia from the Witch's sinister spell.

Actor Michael York's reading is a perfect match for this story. The narration is clear and distinct, and York's soft and soothing British accent adds the right touch. Listeners will fall under the spell of this master storyteller as they join Peter, Edmund, Lucy and Susan on their travels. Beginning with Chapter One when Lucy looks into the wardrobe and discovers Narnia and the faun, readers will find that this timeless story can still work the magic that C.S. Lewis intended. In this action packed tale, the four children take part in several adventures as they travel through Narnia on their quest to rid the country of the Witch and her followers. Narnia fans will want to listen to this story over and over again, and new fans will be created as they listen for the first time.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

2010-08-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Me Talk Pretty One Day
David Sedaris

I did not like this book. I found it hard to read. I was not interested. There was no plot to keep it moving forward.

From someone who liked it:

Sedaris is Garrison Keillor's evil twin: like the Minnesota humorist, Sedaris (Naked) focuses on the icy patches that mar life's sidewalk, though the ice in his work is much more slippery and the falls much more spectacularly funny than in Keillor's. Many of the 27 short essays collected here (which appeared originally in the New Yorker, Esquire and elsewhere) deal with his father, Lou, to whom the book is dedicated. Lou is a micromanager who tries to get his uninterested children to form a jazz combo and, when that fails, insists on boosting David's career as a performance artist by heckling him from the audience. Sedaris suggests that his father's punishment for being overly involved in his kids' artistic lives is David's brother Paul, otherwise known as "The Rooster," a half-literate miscreant whose language is outrageously profane. Sedaris also writes here about the time he spent in France and the difficulty of learning another language. After several extended stays in a little Norman village and in Paris, Sedaris had progressed, he observes, "from speaking like an evil baby to speaking like a hillbilly. 'Is thems the thoughts of cows?' I'd ask the butcher, pointing to the calves' brains displayed in the front window." But in English, Sedaris is nothing if not nimble: in one essay he goes from his cat's cremation to his mother's in a way that somehow manages to remain reverent to both of the departed. "Reliable sources" have told Sedaris that he has "tended to exhaust people," and true to form, he will exhaust readers of this new book, tooDwith helpless laughter. 16-city author tour.

Savvy

2010-07-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Savvy
Ingrid Law

For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy" -a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her older brothers create hurricanes and spark electricity . . . and now it's the eve of Mibs's big day.

As if waiting weren't hard enough, the family gets scary news two days before Mibs's birthday: Poppa has been in a terrible accident. Mibs develops the singular mission to get to the hospital and prove that her new power can save her dad. So she sneaks onto a salesman's bus . . . only to find the bus heading in the opposite direction. Suddenly Mibs finds herself on an unforgettable odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up -and of other people, who might also have a few secrets hidden just beneath the skin.

Notes from the Dog

2010-07-24T21:04:00.001-07:00

Notes from the Dog
Gary Paulsen

Cute, not sure if it is classroom material.

Fourteen-year-old Finn is terrified of meeting new people, and conversation is painful. His true friend, Matthew, is talkative, overly confident, and sometimes a thorn in his side. The boy is content with books and Dylan, his canine companion. He's determined that his summer vacation will not be marred by the intrusion of people, and thus, the discomfort they cause him. Then he meets his pretty new neighbor, 24-year-old Johanna, who shares her joy of life with Finn and Matthew and employs Finn to help her create gardens in his sorrowful-looking backyard. Johanna's enthusiasm for research, compost, fertilizer, and all things garden break down Finn's barriers. When she tells the boys that she is a breast-cancer survivor, their initial trepidation shifts to friendship. As she trains for a triathlon to raise money for cancer awareness, Finn and Matthew join her team. Right before the race, more adverse reactions to chemotherapy thwart her run, and the two boys take up the torch. Johanna's spirit and optimism infuse Finn with courage and love, and he finds his voice. Paulsen's fans may miss his trademarks: the notorious exploits of boys, the page-turning wilderness adventures, or the sled dogs that often take center stage.

Get Out of That Pit

2010-07-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God's Deliverance
Beth Moore

Beth Moore wants readers to know if God could lift her out of the pit, He can get ANYONE out! She admits she wasn't just a visitor; this former pit-dweller had to be delivered from acres of life-accumulated dirt, bone-chilling darkness, spirit-deadening anger, heart-breaking desperation and mind-numbing confusion. The permanent lessons she learned in her desperation are lessons of hope for all of us. Deliverance is for everyone, she proclaims - no matter how you got stuck, no matter how long you've been down, whether you think you deserve it or not. And in her straight-talking but loving style, she reminds readers that deliverance can begin for them this very day.

Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata

2010-07-19T09:17:00.001-07:00

Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata
Jennifer Allison

When her friend Wendy is chosen in a prestigious contest to go to Oxford, England, and compete in a piano competition, Gilda is thrilled. Due to a technicality, she's able to go along with Wendy -- as her page-turner. But something is wrong -- someone or something is slipping Wendy and the other competitors tarot cards bearing terrifying dooms upon them. To add to this, Wendy is hearing strange music in her head, and thinks she's either going insane or being haunted by a ghost: the ghost of a young boy named Charles Drummond, who had her number -- nine -- in the very same competition she is currently in, and who was a brilliant composer before his death at the age of fourteen -- a death that Gilda believes was not entirely accidental.

Sweet And Sunny

2010-07-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

Sweet And Sunny - Sunny Holiday
Coleen Paratore

In this sequel to Sunny Holiday, the strong, upbeat fourth grader continues to promote the idea of a Kid's Day, speak her mind, and solve her own problems. Sunny is optimistic even though her father is in jail, her mother loses her job, and her favorite teacher is removed from the classroom. She shows the mayor and superintendent of schools what can be accomplished when someone believes in you and her class scores among the smartest fourth graders in the state. Her teacher and her mother encourage her and, even though trouble comes when Sunny hits a girl for calling her home the ghetto, her mother assures her that "one bad mistake does not make a good person bad." This engaging, simply written story will appeal to beginning chapter-book readers and reluctant readers. It gives children an opportunity to experience empathy, and they will recognize the power of positive thinking as a major theme.

Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake

2010-07-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake
Jennifer Allison

Gilda Joyce, psychic investigator, makes a return appearance in this comic mystery set at a swanky Catholic girls school where she is a new student on scholarship. Our Lady of Sorrows seems haunted by the ghost of a student who drowned three years earlier. Gildas encounters with the headmistress, a handsome teacher, and a small group of popular senior girls lead her to a situation in which she might solve the mystery at the expense of her own safety. Meanwhile, shes not crazy about her widowed mothers unemployed boyfriend. Gilda is a verbal, funny, engaging character whose self-confidence and fearlessness are more reminiscent of Nancy Drew than Sammy Keyes. And, like the classic old series mysteries, this one has an exaggerated sense of reality that usually works well. Occasionally the mix of humor and spookiness doesnt quite mesh, and an anti-hazing plot is worthwhile but a bit heavy on the didacticism. More often, though, this is an intriguing story filled with surprise and suspense. Its length is a plus in that it allows for more complexity. (For instance, Moms boyfriend turns out to be not quite the clown that Gilda had imagined.) Overall, its an irreverent, well-written addition to the too-small collection of engrossing mysteries for junior high readers.

Confetti Girl

2010-07-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Confetti Girl
Diana Lopez

I wouldn't use this book in a classroom. I don't see the educational value in it. The plot was fine but nothing I would want in a classroom.

Lina attends middle school in Corpus Cristi, TX, has a crush on classmate Luís, loves science and sports, and has a sock obsession as a result of her pants never being long enough for her tall body. Her best friend, Vanessa Cantu, lives across the street with her mother, who is still bitter about a divorce that happened a few years earlier. Lina's mother died last year, and her father is still grieving but struggling to live up to his responsibilities. Dichos, Spanish sayings or proverbs, are translated at the top of every chapter. Spanish phrases are sprinkled throughout the text, reflecting Lina's bilingual community. The budding romance, and typical middle school events such as detention, lunchroom disasters, and reports, keep things moving. Lina is essentially a sunny, happy child and her sadness and anger are more blips on the radar than real angst.

Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator

2010-07-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator
Jennifer Allison

ilda Joyce deserves a place right next to her inspiration, Harriet the Spy. Ever since her father died two years ago, Gilda has been working on sharpening her psychic skills, both in an attempt to communicate with him and to solve spooky mysteries. The summer before ninth grade, she invites herself to San Francisco to visit relatives she's never met who live in a brooding Victorian mansion, complete with a ghost in the tower. Lester Splinter, her distant cousin, seems to be hiding something about his sister's suicide years ago, and Gilda is determined to find out what it is, with the help of his lonely, hostile daughter who is her age. Gilda's bravery, bluntness, and willingness to try anything help bring Juliet out of herself. Her asides to her father, written on his old typewriter, are not only humorous; they also show her grief, longing, and love for him. The wacky wigs and costumes she dons will make readers giggle out loud, as will the inserted progress reports she writes of how well her investigations are going. Readers will feel the hair on the back of their necks rise over the predicaments she manages to get into and out of. Returning home at summer's end, Gilda is surprised that her mother has begun to date and her older brother, Stephen, is friendlier. They have all begun to heal from their loss. Let's hope Gilda also returns in another psychic mystery that needs her gutsy, brash attention.

Nana Cracks the Case!

2010-07-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Nana Cracks the Case!
Kathleen Lane

Nana is not your ordinary grandma. She never wears cloppy shoes, drinks prune juice, or worries about slippery surfaces. Eufala and Bog's nana would much rather join the circus, work as a backhoe operator, or maybe become a detective. Which is exactly what happens in this very funny chapter book. When Nana answers an ad in the local newspaper for a detective, she arrives at the police department just in time to investigate the theft of one entire case of delicious Yumdums candy. Can one little old lady find a way to save the day and stop the candy thief from striking again?

The Dead Drop

2010-07-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop
Jennifer Allison

First you have to get past the fact that 14-year-old Gilda Joyce, psychic detective, has gotten herself an internship at Washington, D.C.’s International Spy Museum and shares an apartment with a twentysomething. (True, her application did say she was 15.) But this book, one of the strongest in the series, is full of excitement as it pulls together lots of plotlines (the inner workings of the International Spy Museum! Cold war spies! Psychic spies!) into a bustling, often-amusing read. Gilda is as sassy as ever, and though she doesn’t always come across as a real teen, she certainly comes across as fun.

On This Day

2010-07-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

On This Day
Melody Carlson

The "day" is given over to a posh resort wedding. Events play out through the eyes of various observers: a family friend, the bride's aunt, the bridesmaid, the bride's grandmother, and the bride's sister. None of these women is entirely secure in her marriage. One is a new mother, weary to her soul; another has financial troubles and is resentful of the wedding's extravagance; another is a snob; and yet another is dealing with her husband's affair.

It was interesting, I read it in less then a day. I thought it was good enough to read not good enough to own, thank goodness for the library.

The Other Side of Darkness

2010-07-06T21:40:00.000-07:00

The Other Side of Darkness
Melody Carlson

As a wife and mother, Ruth knows her prayers are crucial to her family’s spiritual welfare. She stands between her precious children and the evil one, doing battle in prayer. She can’t afford to be careless. Thankfully, she has powerful allies: Pastor Glenn, New Life Christian School where her daughters Mary and Sarah attend, and the inner circle at Arbor Drive Fellowship. They all reinforce her careful nurturance of her children.

If only her husband, Rick, understood that. He’s exasperated about the money Ruth keeps spending for the church and school. Doesn’t he see that these are their best defenses in shielding their children from the dangers of the world?

But the forces that threaten Ruth’s faith, her family–her very life–are not the ones she expects. Ruth doesn’t realize that her heartfelt desire to obey God is mingled with dangerous currents of OCD–Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Her own strategies for protecting her family may be the very thing that tears them apart.

The ABC's of Kissing Boys

2010-06-30T15:21:00.001-07:00

The ABC's of Kissing Boys
Tina Ferraro

The life of Parker Stanhope, popular junior relegated to the JV soccer team and scorned by her best buds, reads like a mashup of Bend It Like Beckham, Mean Girls, and Can’t Buy Me Love, and will find a happy audience in fans of the same. To win herself a spot on the varsity team, Parker, her pre-law older brother, and his hot best friend concoct a scheme involving a sweet faculty parking spot for the coach and a knock-’em-dead kiss at the Sports Fair’s kissing booth. All Parker has to do is learn how to kiss. Enter Tristan, the lowly freshman across the street with talents he offers to share with Parker in exchange for help elevating his social standing. The plan predictably spins out of control, and Parker falls for Tristan, all the while trying to avoid the backstabbing ways of her former teammates.

Magenta McPhee

2010-06-29T12:24:00.000-07:00

Magenta McPhee
Catherine Bateson

Not the best, not the worst. Easy quick read. I see no classroom connection.

Ten-year-old Magenta McPhee impersonates her single dad on an Internet dating site—with comically disastrous results—in this heartwarming story about changing family dynamics.

Life is treating Magenta McPhee pretty well. She's writing the next great fantasy trilogy, and she's going to be in her mom's upcoming wedding. But what to do about her dad, who lost his job months ago and just mopes around the local library? Magenta decides to go to an online dating service, playing the role of her father, until her intentions backfire. As Magenta comes clean to her father and the woman she inadvertently strung along, she realizes that her dad may not be totally hopeless. While job hunting in the library, he's caught the attention of a certain librarian.

Sunny Holiday

2010-06-28T13:34:00.001-07:00

Sunny Holiday
Coleen Paratore

Fourth-grader Sunny is dealing with a lot in her young life. Her father is in prison, her school is in danger of being shut down, and she is trying to come up with new holidays so that every month has a fun day. Difficult situations are handled gently, but realistically. Sunny knows that her daddy went to jail because he made a mistake trying to take a shortcut to success. Her mother, who works as a maid and is taking college courses one at a time, emphasizes that success only comes from hard work. The mayor visits Riverview Towers, an "ugly cement-gray building" where Sunny lives, and she decides to tell him about her idea for January's holiday, Kid's Day. When she gets her chance to speak, she finds herself telling him about all the things he needs to do for her and her neighbors, like fixing the community pool, finishing the park he started, and cleaning up the river. While Sunny's life still isn't perfect, the novel has a happy ending. The text is not difficult and includes some fun images for abstract ideas, for example, negative comments are "butterfly squishers."

The Unfinished Angel

2010-06-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Unfinished Angel
Sharon Creech

—Some books are absolute magic, and this is one of them. The main character, an unnamed angel, is a plucky creature with a bumbling vocabulary that is laugh-out-loud funny as well as a sassy running commentary about the "peoples" who reside in a small village in the Swiss Alps. Kids will giggle at the mischievous side of Angel, who throws pinecones at irritating mortals and smashes figs for fun. Angel can only be seen or sensed by the book's children—first and foremost, by spunky Zola. She is a free-spirited young girl who wears a trio of rainbow-colored dresses at any one time and teams up with the angel to bring the tiny town out of a time-worn gloom with good deeds, namely rescuing a motley crew of orphans with touching and humorous results. Creech's protagonist is hugely likable. Angel has moments of self-doubt and impatience that are appealingly human, while there is a sweet exchange with Zola about the potential of people to already be angel-like in this existence by using their lives for good.

Extra Credit

2010-06-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

Extra Credit
Andrew Clements

Awesome book! It shows the differences between American life and the life of an Afghan child. Amazing! It could tie in nicely with "Three Cups of Tea." This would be an awesome teaching tool. The reading level is pretty easy but a fourth grade class could dig deeper past the text to the implications.

A forced pen-pal exchange turns into an opportunity for real communication between Illinois sixth-grader Abby Carson and Sadeed Bayat, the best English-language student in his Afghan village. When Abby's first letter arrives in Bahar-Lan, 11-year-old Sadeed is asked by the elders to compose his sister Amira's reply; it isn't proper for a boy and girl to correspond with one another. But soon Sadeed can't resist telling Abby that it is he who has been writing to her. The third-person narrative alternates points of view, allowing for inclusion of intriguing details of both lives. Never a scholar, Abby prefers the woods behind her family's farm and the climbing wall in her school; in the afternoons, Sadeed works in his father's grain shop. In spite of their differences, Abby and Sadeed connect through their imaginations, and their earlier readings of Frog and Toad Are Friends. They learn, as Abby reports, that "people are simple, but the stuff going on around them can get complicated." Full-page pencil illustrations throughout add to the book's appeal. Clements offers readers an engaging and realistic school story and provides an evenhanded comparison between a Midwestern girl's lifestyle and a culture currently in the news.

My Most Excellent Year

2010-06-27T13:22:00.001-07:00

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park
Steve Kluger

I didn't like this book at all. Not a good read.

In his first novel for young readers, Kluger revisits themes in his adult titles: baseball, romantic sparring, and social activism. Boston teens T. C. and Augie are such close friends that their families acknowledge them as brothers. Alejandra has recently arrived from Washington, D.C., where her father served as a Mexican ambassador to the U.S. Written in multiple voices and nontraditional formats, including instant messages and school assignments, Kluger’s crowded, exuberant novel follows the three high-school freshman through an earth-shaking year in which musical-theater-obsessed Augie realizes that he is gay, Alejandra reveals her theatrical talents to disapproving parents, and T. C. tries to make a deaf child’s greatest wish come true. At the center are heart-pulling romances (even a few among adults) and a broadening sense of what family means. A few plot twists will require readers to suspend belief, and the voices tend to sound alike. Still, the appealing characters are bright, passionate, and fully engaged in their lives, and many readers will lose themselves in this original, high-spirited story.

Border Crossing

2010-06-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

Border Crossing
Jessica Lee Anderson

The mixed-race son of apple pickers, Manz lives with his hard-drinking mother and her truck-driver boyfriend in the hardscrabble world of dusty Rockhill, Texas. Forced to take a summer job rebuilding fence of a cattle ranch, Manz works alongside his friend Jed and meets a girl named Vanessa — but even among his friends, Manz suffers from an uncontrollable paranoia. As the summer wears on, Manz becomes convinced that "Operation Wetback," a brutal postwar relocation program, is being put back into effect. As the voices in his head grow louder and more insistent, Manz struggles to negotiate the difficulties of adolescence, the perils of an oppressed environment, and the terror of losing his grip on reality.

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison

2010-06-24T09:35:00.001-07:00

The Sweet Life of Stella Madison
Lara M. Zeises

This book made me miss the food network. It was cute, took less then a day to read. It was good. I wouldn't use it as an instructional tool in the classroom.

When Stella Madison's boyfriend says he loves her, those words are not what the 17-year-old wants to hear. Max is adorable, sure; it's just that commitment is not really her thing, and she has a lot on her plate. The daughter of a famous chef and a restaurateur, Stella has a paid summer internship at the local newspaper, and she is sneakily swooning over Kitchen's irresistible new intern, Jeremy. Juggling Max, Jeremy, work, semi-separated parents, and friends is not easy, and Stella learns that you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. Sweet Life is brimming with teen appeal. Zeises has created a refreshing protagonist sure to captivate readers, who will enjoy following along as she learns about romance through food, and vice versa.

Ava Tree and the Wishes Three

2010-06-23T13:01:00.000-07:00

Ava Tree and the Wishes Three
Jeanne Betancourt

Ava Tree, whose parents died in an accident, lives with her 22-year-old brother. On her eighth birthday, she wakes up to find that she has "wishing power": she wishes that her pet rabbit would use the toilet like a person, and he does. Next, she wishes that her best friend's mom, who is overly concerned about proper behavior, would not "fix" her Backward Birthday Party. She learns that she can only make three wishes a day, that they only last for 24 hours, that by wishing for mean things to happen to other people she ends up hurting herself, and that some wishes don't come true. Despite her multiple attempts, her parents do not come back to life. Character development is slight, though Ava does get a little further along in her grieving process. The ending suggests that her wishing power comes from her mother, so this is not a strictly realistic tale, but readers will relate to it.

The Mom Factor

2010-06-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Mom Factor; Dealing With the Mother You Have, Didn't Have, or Still Contend With
Henry Cloud and John Sims Townsend

Amazing book for my personal life. This is a must read for anyone who has issues with their mother. I wish I had read this before - but I wonder if it would have mattered. I think this is a book that I will reread every couple of years.

No one has influenced the person you are today like your mother. The way she handled your needs as a child has shaped your worldview, your relationships, your marriage, your career, your self-image -- your life. The Mom Factor can help you identify areas that need reshaping, to make positive choices for personal change, and to establish a nature relationship with Mom today. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend steer you down a path of discovery and growth beyond the effects of six common mom types: - The Phantom Mom . . . - The China Doll Mom - The Controlling Mom . . . - The Trophy Mom - The Still-the-Boss Mom . . . The American Express Mom -- You'll learn how your mom affected you as a child and may still be affecting you today. And you'll find a realistic and empowering approach to filling your unmet mothering needs in healthy, life-changing ways through other people. The Mom Factor is a biblical route to wholeness and growth, to deeper and more satisfying bonds with your family, friends, and spouse -- and to a new, healthier way of relating to your mother today.

Wild River

2010-06-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

Wild River
PJ Petersen

I picked this up from the NEW BOOKS section of the library. It's a quick easy read.

The author lives in Redding. This would be a great read aloud, it is full of adventure. I would read aloud to first or second grade. The grade level of the reading is pretty low. Third graders could definitely read this. It might be good for a lower group because it is still interesting.

Twelve-year-old Ryan goes kayaking and fishing on a California river with his older brother, Tanner, and his gripping adventures will pull even reluctant readers into his first-person narrative. As the boys shoot down rocky rapids, a jagged log in the chute slices into their kayak, toppling them into freezing water, injuring Tanner and leaving him unconscious. Using what he learned from his video games, Ryan is able to stay calm and survive some harrowing situations, and ultimately save both of their lives. Foreshadowing keeps the suspense rolling for careful readers. Safe back home, Ryan refuses to tell anyone except Tanner about his heroic deeds and flips on his favorite video game for solace instead of sharing his feelings with his family. The relationship between the brothers is refreshing; they clearly like each other, and Tanner is in touch with Ryan's needs and accepts him unconditionally. Some readers might wish to see some growth in Ryan as a result of his experiences, but it's more likely that he is having difficulty dealing with what happened and opening up about the events will come later.

Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah

2010-06-21T19:50:00.001-07:00

Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah - 86 Bloomberg Place Series #4
Melody Carlson

In the final installment in the 86 Bloomberg Place series, Melody Carlson follows the girls in a crazed competition for bridesmaids, wedding locations, and showers.

Newly engaged Lelani has returned from Maui to Bloomberg Place and is trying to book her wedding date. Unfortunately there are scheduling conflicts for that same weekend. For starters, Megan and Marcus have a family wedding commitment. Anna and Edmond have promised to attend his younger stepbrother’s Bar Mitzvah and, to everyone’s surprise, Kendall has just accepted her “Maui Man’s” proposal of marriage and also wants to be wed on that first weekend in June. Wedding madness ensues at 86 Bloomberg Place, yet at the same time friendships are being forged that will last a lifetime.

The View from Saturday

2010-06-20T21:36:00.001-07:00

The View from Saturday
EL Konigsburg

It won the Newbery Medal in 1997.

In this novel, four sixth-grade children from Epiphany, New York - Noah Gershom, Nadia Diamondstein, Ethan Potter, and Julian Singh - form a group they call "The Souls." The Academic Bowl is coming up, and their teacher, Mrs. Olinski who is paraplegic, chooses them to represent her class in the competition. They first beat the seventh- and eight-grade teams in their school and eventually become state champions. The novel's chapters alternate between the first-person limited and third-person omniscient. Each member of The Souls narrates one chapter about an event which connects with a question they were asked in the Academic Bowl finals. The first of the first-person chapters is told by Noah; he tells about the time he was the best man at his grandfather's friend's wedding and his experience in writing calligraphy. Nadia describes her work with the conservation of sea turtles. Ethan tells of attending Julian's tea parties, at which he met and befriended Nadia, Noah, and Julian. Julian's story is about how he was truthful when Nadia's dog tried out for the school play, "Annie."

Cook This, Not That!

2010-06-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide
David Zinczenko

Did you know the average dinner from a chain restaurant costs nearly $35 a person and contains more than 1,200 calories? That’s hard on your wallet and your waistline, and few people understand this better than the authors of Eat This, Not That! After years of helping consumers navigate America’s daunting culinary landscape – and literally thousands of weight-loss success stories – Dave and Matt have finally turned their nutritional savvy to the place with the greatest impact – your kitchen. The hundreds of recipes contained inside this book will help you and your loved ones eliminate body fat, get in shape, and lead fitter, happier lives.

But make no mistake – this is no rice-and-tofu cookbook. The genius of Cook This, Not That! is that it teaches you how to save hundreds – sometimes thousands – of calories by recreating America’s most popular restaurant dishes, including Outback Steakhouse’s Roasted Filet with Port Wine Sauce, Uno Chicago Grill’s Individual Deep Dish Pizza, and Chili’s Fire Grilled Chicken Fajita.

No Talking

2010-06-18T10:00:00.001-07:00

No Talking
Andrew Clements

Grade 3–6—Dave Packer's fifth-grade classmates are so boisterous and difficult to quiet down that the teachers have dubbed them "The Unshushables." Dave has just read about Mahatma Gandhi and learned that the man practiced silence one day a week to bring order to his mind. Though Dave likes to talk nonstop, he's determined to give the idea a try. An encounter with Lynsey, another chatterbox, sparks the boys and girls into challenging each other to a no-talking contest for 48 hours. They can answer direct questions from adults with three-word sentences but must otherwise remain silent. The teachers are bewildered at the extreme change in the kids until several of them figure out what's going on. Principal Hiatt demands that the quiet students return to their normal behavior. When the children continue with their silent ways, Dave finds himself at the center of the controversy. This is an interesting and thought-provoking book, similar to Clements's Frindle (S & S, 1996). The plot quickly draws readers in and keeps them turning pages. The author includes the viewpoints of both the students and the teachers, and the black-and-white pencil drawings add immediacy to the story. This lively offering would make a great book-group selection or classroom discussion starter.

Remember Me?

2010-06-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Remember Me?
Sophie Kinsella

After taking a nasty bump on the head, Lexi Smart awakens in a hospital convinced that it's 2004 and that she's just missed her father's funeral. It's actually three years later, and she no longer has crooked teeth, frizzy hair and a loser boyfriend. Initially wowed by what she's become—a gorgeous, cut-throat businesswoman—Lexi soon finds herself attempting to figure out how it happened. As her personality change and lost memory threaten her job, Lexi tries to dredge up some chemistry with her handsome albeit priggish husband, Eric, though the effort is unnecessary with Eric's colleague Jon, who tells Lexi that she was about to leave Eric for him. Amnesia tales may be old hat, but Kinsella keeps things fresh and frothy with workplace politicking, romantic intrigue and a vibrant (though sometimes caricatured) cast. Though the happy ending won't come as a surprise, readers will be rooting for Lexi all along.

Can They Do That?

2010-06-08T16:49:00.001-07:00

Can They Do That?: Retaking Our Fundamental Rights in the Workplace
Lewis Maltby

Maltby, president and founder of the National Workrights Institute, provides chilling insight into personal rights in the workplace and existing laws, which, with rare exception, side with employers. Such liberties as freedom of speech, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, protect us only from governmental intrusions and do nothing to safeguard us from private enterprise. Maltby relays shocking stories of employer abuses, including tracking employees through cell phone GPS locators, placing hidden cameras in restrooms, and asking potential employees for details on everything from religious beliefs to sex lives. A staggering 20% of employers now require employees to agree before being hired not to go to court if the corporation violates their legal rights. Maltby shows employees how to protect themselves as much as possible under the existing laws and urges them to fight for bringing the Bill of Rights to apply to the private sector. Appendixes provide sample letters to elected representatives and human rights organizations as well as an Employee Bill of Rights. A disturbing and essential exposé that may be a catalyst for change.

Spring Broke

2010-06-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

Spring Broke - 86 Bloomberg Place Series #3

Melody Carlson

With creditors hounding her, Kendall's spendthrift lifestyle has finally caught up with her. Her roommates are caught up in problems too. So when Lelani's parents offer to host the girls in Hawaii, it sounds like the vacation everyone needs-but no one can afford. A really big garage sale is scheduled, but fraying tempers threaten the teamwork needed to pull it off. Will they finally turn to the One who can really help?

Relationships are hard work - and when you've got your first apartment, a real job, and grown-up responsibilities, too, they're loaded with confusion, emotion, and secrets you can't tell to anyone but God. The four unlikely roommates of 86 Bloomberg Place and their stories might just sound like someone you know.

And Then There Were None

2010-05-31T16:46:00.000-07:00

And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie

I read a chapter of this to students at school and had to read it myself. So I sat down on my day off and read it. It was pretty good.

Considered the best mystery novel ever written by many readers, And Then There Were None is the story of 10 strangers, each lured to Indian Island by a mysterious host. Once his guests have arrived, the host accuses each person of murder. Unable to leave the island, the guests begin to share their darkest secrets--until they begin to die.

The Last Song

2010-05-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Last Song
Nicholas Sparks

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

Love Finds You in Pendleton, Oregon

2010-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Love Finds You in Pendleton, Oregon
~ Melody Carlson

Native American beauty Sunny Westcott is not one to let her hair down. But her friend Aubrey manages to drag her to Pendleton, Oregon, and the pair arrives just as the hundredth annual Pendleton Round-Up begins. Sunny is surprised by how much she enjoys watching the rodeo, riding horseback, and getting to know Aubrey’s family—particularly a handsome cowboy named Cody. Pendleton is also home to the Umatilla reservation where Sunny’s ancestors once lived, and the trip gives her the chance to do some digging into her family’s history—a topic she knows next to nothing about. But will Sunny like what she finds? And how will skeletons from the past compete with the current drama unfolding in Cody’s own family?

The Freedom Writers Diary

2010-05-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Freedom Writers Diary : How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them ~ The Freedom Writers (Author), Zlata Filipovic (Foreword), Erin Gruwell (Contributor)

I loved this book! It was so good. I loved the movie and the book. They are both great!

When Gruwell was a first-year high school teacher in Long Beach, CA, teaching the "unteachables" (kids that no other teacher wanted to deal with), she discovered that most of her students had not heard of the Holocaust. Shocked, she introduced them to books about toleranceAfirst-person accounts by the likes of Anne Frank and Zlata Filopvic, who chronicled her life in war-torn Sarajevo. The students were inspired to start keeping diaries of their lives that showed the violence, homelessness, racism, illness, and abuse that surrounded them. These student diaries form the basis of this book, which is cut from the same mold as Dangerous Minds: the outsider teacher, who isn't supposed to last a month, comes in and rebuilds a class with tough love and hard work. Most readers will be proud to see how these students have succeeded; at the end of their four-year experience, the Freedom Writers as they called themselves, in honor of the Freedom Riders of the 1960sAhad all graduated; Grunwell now works at the college level, instructing teachers on how to provide more interactive classes for their students.

Dear John

2010-05-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

Dear John

Nicholas Sparks

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life.

Let Them Eat Fruitcake

2010-05-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

Let Them Eat Fruitcake - 86 Bloomberg Place Series #2
Melody Carlson

It's the holiday season, and each of the roommates at 86 Bloomberg Place is a little blue . Megan's got the boss from hell, and now her mom is going on a cruise, leaving Megan alone for Christmas for the first time ever. Lelani can't afford to fly home to Hawaii and isn't sure she'd be welcomed anyway, not that she can admit that to anyone. Anna's old boyfriend—the one who cheated on her—has sailed back into her life, just when she's met a for-real "nice guy" she's been keeping secret from her large, crazy Latino family. And Kendall's met a famous actor, who might be the answer to her money woes—if she could only convince him she's the love of his life. His wife might have something to say about that, though. Thank goodness God's around to listen when the girls need help!

Let's face it, relationships are hard work—whether they're with family and friends, coworkers and customers, or boyfriends and girlfriends. And when you've got your first apartment, a real job, and grown-up responsibilities, too, relationships are loaded with confusion, emotion, and secrets you can't tell to anyone but God. Best-selling author Melody Carlson has captured all the uncertainty and joy of being twenty-something in pitch-perfect detail—and their stories just might sound like someone you know.

The Rise and Fall of a 10th Grade Social Climber

2010-04-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

The Rise and Fall of a 10th Grade Social Climber
Laura Moser

Mimi Schulman, 15, relocates from Houston to Manhattan the summer before her sophomore year. She rekindles an old relationship with her childhood friend, Sam, and bets him that she will infiltrate the "Coolie" group and win their favor. She promises to keep a diary of this endeavor. Chaos ensues when Mimi betrays her friends new and old and she must ultimately seek redemption from her peers. Though the theme of finding acceptance and fitting in is catchy and contemporary, the characters behave more like stereotypical wealthy people at least twice their age with no consciences. The plot also lacks a key element–Mimi's journal is essentially her undoing, but readers are privy to only very select portions of it. Too little time is spent on revealing some of its secrets and too much concentration is given to vapid details of early-morning cocktails and Hamptons excursions.

A book is a gift you can open again and again.

Real Marriage

Real Marriage The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together

By Mark & Grace Driscoll Published by Thomas Nelson

Book Description

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well By: Billy Graham

Book Description

A Year with Jesus Daily Readings and Reflections On Jesus' Own Words

By R.P. Nettelhorst

Book Description

Our Last Great Hope

Book Description

Thank you God for Blessing Me

More Lost Then Found

Book Description

Stained Glass Hearts Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective

Stained Glass Hearts Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective

By Patsy Clairmont

The Aloha Quilt

Stumbling Into Grace

Mini Shopaholic

The Alchemist

Nancy Drew 66

Nancy Drew 64

Nancy Drew 60

Nancy Drew 57

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door

Don't Check Your Brains at the Door

By Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler

Love from Your Friend, Hannah

Julie and Julia:

God’s LoveLetters to You

Five Things I Can't Live Without

Billy Graham in Quotes

The CAFE Book

Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap

The Daily 5

Fearless

The Lost Symbol

Take This Bread

Water for Elephants

For One More Day

Timeless Running Wisdom

The Undomestic Goddess

Shopaholic & Baby

Shopaholic & Sister

Shopaholic Ties the Knot

Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

Confessions of a Shopaholic

The Essential 55

Alice, I Think

Little Girls Can Be Mean

The Last Battle

The Last Lecture

When You Reach Me

Living on Purpose

The Magician's Nephew

Freakonomics

Waiting for "SUPERMAN"

The Silver Chair

River, Cross My Hear

Boundaries in Daiting

In Pursuit of the Ideal

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior

Traveling Light

Cure for the Common Life

Breakfast with Buddha

Living Beyond the Limits

The Horse and His Boy

Imaginary Jesus

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

How to Get a Date Worth Keeping

Prince Caspian

Boundaries in Dating

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Savvy

Notes from the Dog

Get Out of That Pit

Gilda Joyce: The Ghost Sonata

By Mark & Grace Driscoll
Published by Thomas Nelson