Are you looking for non-fiction which is well-written and interesting, and covers topics over which students are generally tested for state proficiency or competency standards? This book fits all requirements. The author doesn't flinch at presenting the difficult, occasionally less-than-flattering side of the talented photographer, so that the reader comes away with a feeling of having met a "real" person, albeit one with tremendous talent. Yet, Partridge focuses on the life and times of her subject without "sensationalism". The book is well-written. Partridge never talks down to her readers, and her clear language and vocabulary should be well within the capabilities of 7th, 8th or 9th grade students. This book ties art, social studies and language arts together in perfect harmony for a study of the Depression Era of US history. Adults will enjoy this book as well.

Well I love photography and for thoes of you who do this is the best book. Dorthea Lange was the best photographer and is obviously my favorite. This book tells the great story of her life and has great classic photos. I highly recomend this book

All of the Eden books are awesome. They are the best books I've ever read. I was actually sad when I was finished with the series.

Return to Eden is one of the best books I have ever read. If you enjoyed this book then I highly recomend reading the other books in the Eden series. All of Barbara Michel's Eden books are GREAT!I recommend them to all of my friends and after they read them they love them to!! :)

When I read this book I thought it was like any other girl help book but this one was different. I used to be shy but now I am strong and have confidence in myself. I used to be a tad overweight but now I am at my comfortable weight w/ a lifetime of healthy eating ahead of me. I also learned the appropriate way to exercise w/o strain. It was a very good book and I think I've read it over about 12 times now.I recommended it to all my friends and they said it was the best book they have read.

I love this book--good, solid information, easy to read, fun format. I recommend it for any girl who is interested in health and fitness!

While this is subtitled "A Christmas Tale", this wonderfully written story is a story of belonging in a small, isolated community - a wonderful gift that is set at Christmas. Two aspects of the story make this a memorable bit of literature: First, the discription of the physical setting and the small details making the village unique, isolated and realistic are superb. Second, the understanding of human group behavior is outstanding - both in the definition of "outsiders" and in the common story required to become an "insider". This aspect is established early and confirmed by the climax of the story.

Excellent writing, excellent control of characters, interesting and simple plot ... well worth your time.

This is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. The story is simple: A boy and a girl get lost in the mountains on their way home; it's Christmas Eve, and the two are somewhere in the Alps. What makes the books so unique is the way in which the children's ordeal is described: They are moving through a landscape that is made almost abstract by the snow; this is pure poetry! - Stifter is a forgotten genius of 19th century European literature; I'm glad that his touching Christmas Tale - and ideal Christmas present, by the way - is now available in this beautiful edition!

The bible on proper planning. I wish more planners would read it. I am an average citizen who wanted to learn more about smarter land use plans and this book really has great ideas. It is expensive, but well worth the price. Shows how poor our current clear-cutting practices are compared to the beauty of an open space subdivision design. Buy this-you will really learn a lot!

This is a great book, the best ever written, I am sure, on the very important topic of helping maintain, and sometimes create livable communities in rural areas. The only handicap for owning the book is the rather huge price, $ 86.00, and not discounted by Amazon. We would like to have all our county planning commission members have a copy of the book, but can't afford to do so.

I have all three of the Day with Russ books and they all deserved the 5 star ratings I've given them but this one is my favorite. I appreciate the fact that Russ's DS is never mentioned in the book, it's just a fact. The pictures are beautiful and the story itself is lovely. I love the lesson Russ gets about doing the right thing and the fact that he is an example to his friend Kevin. I just wish that Janet Rickert would write more Russ books. Because my own son has DS I tend to look for books that feature children with it but the wonderful thing about the Russ books is that the stories are good, the pictures fun and Russ's DS is just part of who he is! I love it!

Kids will really connect with this book. Russ and his friends are so believable and likeable. The vibrant color photos practically pop off the page. What I love about this series is that it isn't specifically 'for' kids with Down syndrome--any reader will appreciate Russ' spunk and the story's message.

I love the Day with Russ series. This is the first one of the series and it has a sweet, simple story. Russ is a little boy with Down Syndrome who wishes he had a swing in his back yard instead of an apple tree. When his grandparents come to visit they and his parents share a special time with Russ picking apples and making a pie and help him to appreciate the nice things about his apple tree. This is a lovely book with colorful photographs. Russ obviously has DS but it is never mentioned in the story. I can't begin to say how much that means to me as the mother of a DS child. These stories truly show the way children with DS are LIKE other children rather than dwelling on how they are different. What a great message! I highly recommend it for all children, especially those with DS or who may have a child with DS in their class at school. The books are hard cover with glossy photos and are very well constructed in addition to being terrific stories. I plan to donate all three Russ books to my son's classroom, they are exceptional books.

Russ is a charming little boy who happens to have Down Syndrome. This tale, told in photos and text, tells about his day with Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa. The story works beautifully and Down Syndrome is never mentioned. Russ is just a little boy who happens to have Down Syndrome! Jane Rickert has written a simple, darling book about her own son and has let us know that he is just an ordinary boy who likes apple trees and surprises. Ms. Rickert read her story to children at an Inclusive Childcare Canter near her home. The children loved it and they still make it one of their favorites. It is read over and over again - the sure sign of a hit with the kids. This book points out the sameness between children, not the differences and that is incredibly important. I highly recommend this book for any child regardless of ability/disability.

First off, I must admit that I do not own this book - yet. I picked it up at random at a friend's house or, more correctly, hoisted it up, as it is printed on good paper and is very thick. Once started, I could not leave it until the end. Most books of this nature do not appeal to me very much, because they only warrant a cursory paging-through. I am sure there are many excellent books of this genre, it is just my ignorance which prevents me from appreciating them. But this one is different. The selection of the photographs is such that the pictures are never boring, and the descriptions, in spite of, or perhaps because of, their brevity, contain a surprising amount of information, which encourages one to read more about the many different subjects touched upon. This is not just a book about houses, it is a book on which one could base a study of the Russian people in its entirety, such as their history and culture in all its forms. Definitely a book I am buying.

For those who have been to Russia and Europe in the past, or lived there, this book highlights all beautiful details of Russia. I bought this book for my father years ago as a gift and later wanted to buy one for myself. I couldn't find it anywhere until I saw it here. I was in tears when I received it since this book has everything about the design and the heart of the country that I came to love and to know. Excellent photography!

I was shocked when my aunt told me a book had been written that encompassed the life of one of our family members...and, pictures of our family. I was even more delighted to read the poems that reminded me of my own childhood and adult life...I'll cherish this book always and pull it out from time to time when the words escape me...

I was totally surprised by my enjoyment of 'The Sanctioned Fruit'. It is an unusual book of poetry and a family history with pictures of the author and her family. I found myself reliving parts of my childhood, some sad, some happy. The poems of Nature and Nurture will make you want to go outside and play in the dirt again and watch for the sunrises and sunsets. And the poems of Death and Despair will cause you to murmur some of the prayers over and over again.

'The Sanctioned Fruit' is one of the very few poetry books that I find myself rereading over and over. I'm sure everyone will enjoy it very much. I enjoyed it so much that for the first time in my life, I wrote the author a letter of thanks.

Our neighbor across the street has a little girl with downs syndrome and my daugther who is 4 has started to notice that she is different from her. I wanted to get her a book that showed someone with downs syndrome doing real things so that I could use it as an example. Unfortuntately the pictures are so far away that you don't really get to see Russ. It would have been better if there were some closer photographs.

This is a terrific book about a little boy with DS who visits his uncle's firehouse in Chicago. The story is simple and clear. The photos are lovely. The actual story never mentions Russ' DS which I think is just the way it should be. He's just a little boy visiting a fire house, however, kids with DS will be excited to just see him in the photos and other kids will benefit from what I can only describe as his "normalcy". I purchased this book initially because my own son, who is almost 3, has DS. He really loves this book and it has become one of our regular story books. Which puts it in the ranks of classics like Brown Bear, and Goodnight Moon at our house. Russ is just a little boy who gets to help out around fire engines one day. What kid wouldn't want to do that!

I'm such a fan of books from Woodbine House! My kids love this series of books about a boy named Russ, especially RUSS AND THE FIREHOUSE. I think it's wonderful that Russ has Down sydnrome and the book doesn't even mention it. It just shows Russ as a regular kid, doing regular kid stuff. Any child who likes fire engines will love this tour of a real firehouse. We have the first book in the series, RUSS AND THE APPLE TREE SURPIRSE, and we hear that there is a new one coming out soon. Looking forward to it!