All right, right up front, let me say that no veteran of the Pacific War and no one who was deeply moved by it should miss this book! First, Hap, the navigator/bombardier, introduces you to the eleven crew members on his B-29, the Rover Boy, the five that survived the war and the six who didn't. The theme throughout the book is "completing the circle."He completes the circle with his crew. He finds where each is buried and what happened to each that survived. After that he completes the circle with the Japanese people and the mission over Tokyo that he didn't finish because he was shot down. He actually finds one of the "good guards" and a "good interpreter" that he knew when he was a prisoner. He finds the actual fighter pilot who shot him down. Two honorable warriors on opposite sides meeting after the war is always poignant. We, at kilroywashere.org appreciate that he only included the honorable ones. In fact, he says: ". . . I felt at ease being with the families and children and grandchildren of our former enemy. I do not feel that my feelings would be the same had some former despicable guards (Horseface, Watanabe, and several others) appeared in my range of vision." He also does not succumb to the revisionists who claim we were wrong to drop the atomic bomb. He quotes an actual document from the National Archives that proves that the Japanese planned to kill all prisoners. "Had an invasion (of Japan) taken place, every Allied POW of the Japanese would have been killed immediately. We knew that and sweated out each day. The atomic bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved our lives." A great book! Don't miss it.

I liked the book because Hattie is sort of like me because she goes through problems everyday like I go through.

I have a brother named Sam and Hattie has a brother named Sam.

Hattie is also involved in adventure and mystery and I like that too.

As a parent that likes to know what my children are reading, I read this book. Ms. Smith has done it again! I couldn't put it down! She has a remarkable way of seeing through the eyes of her characters. The history is very accurate, the adventure believable and the examples of every day faith beautiful! Just can't say enough good things about this book! Every mom should take the time to read this series and enjoy a short vacation into childhood!

Short stories are a much-neglected type of writing, especially the clear-cut ones that Stephen R. Marshall has penned in "Have You Any Spare Cue Sticks?" Like a more introspective David Almond, Marshall writes short but intense stories focusing on everything from basic spinechilling to complex philosophy.

Something nasty and carnivorous is lurking in "The Garage," while "Come, Dream With Me" hints at the strange, frightening results of a recurring dream. "The Bus, the Night, the Street" gives a somber glimpse of a young man venturing into the streets, where shadowy things are lurking. "Grief" is a touching glimpse of what happens when a man's wife dies, and his sorrowful actions and thoughts as he remembers her. "Whistling in the Dark" features a strange, eerie apartment where things come alive in frightening ways. A slick, debonair "Stranger" offers a man what he longs for most -- in exchange for his soul. "The Meanest Man in Town And the Haunted House" features an obnoxious guy insisting that he be taken to the haunted Hardwick Farm, where graves swallow the living.

The title story is somewhat different from the other stories, in which a guy has an intense discussion about various issues, with a girl with whom he has a special connection. "The Stranger -- Again" is a sequel to "Stranger," in which Mr. Mephistopheles brings a familiar stranger into the narrator's presence. "Aren't You Gerald Sweeney?" is the opening line of a story where an elderly man meets the narrator of "Stranger," and the two have a long talk about this world, and the divine world. Rise to "The 13th Floor" where witchcraft disrupts a seemingly normal party. And in the sequel to "Gerald Sweeney," called "Joseph's Sadness," in which Joseph reappears to speak to the narrator about kindness and selflessness.

Marshall's stories range from very inward-centered vignettes to atmospheric glimpses to some really creepy, horrific stories. His writing style suggests a more flowing David Almond with hints of Ray Bradbury, especially the creepy apartment and the hauntingly eerie alleyway in "Bus." There's also some religious dimension as well, in the "Stranger" stories and "Gerald Sweeney." Some of the stories have a definite beginning and end, while some are more like slices from a person's own experience, but all have a certain haunting, otherworldly quality.

Marshall's stories are an enjoyable read, especially for those who enjoy a surreal tint to their reading material. Definitely a good read.

I am a first-grade teacher in the public schools of Guam, a United States Territory on the far western edge of the Pacific Ocean. My school's name is Machananao Elementary School. For some time, I have used thematic units to facilitate learning in my classroom. Near the beginning of each school year, I teach a unit on Diet and Dental Health. This year as part of that unit, I frequently played the cassette tape 'Healthy Habits for early learners'. My students truly loved the tape and every time I played it, they specifically asked for "Pump It Up!". You should know that I have children from about seven different cultures in my classroom. Some are from tiny little islands in the Federated States of Micronesia, (Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, Yap) and others are from either the Republic of the Philippines or the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, (a chain of islands immediately north of Guam.) I have long been a strong proponent of the use of music to teach all aspects of the curriculum and am currently researching the issue in pursuit of a Masters in Education. I want to personally thank you and your staff for producing the tape 'Healthy Habits for Early Learners.' Thank you sincerely, Royce D. 'Josh' Ledbetter

I bought this book while visiting Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, in November 1998. Even if I had not been to this incredible place, this book alone would have affected me greatly. The accounts are brief and striking. My heart ached for the children, whether they were the Hibakusha (Bomb Survivors)telling the story as an adult, or whether they were describing a horrific scene involving these innocents. This isn't a dry historical account with scientific information and political overview. It is a recollection of activities, emotions, and devastation experienced by real people on and since August 6, 1945. I wish there were more books along this line, written as well as this one.

This book is a fantastic book for kids. It Makes the complicated science of genetic engineering seem as clear as possible while giving examples of foods that would capture a teen's attention (such as potatoes that are scientifically engineered to absorb less oil when made into french fries.

If you are planning a trip to the Bob Marshall you will do yourself a great favor by purchasing this book, then wrapping it in a zip-lock bag for your journey. The book provides a comprehensive overview of every trail in the Wilderness area. It gives a succinct synopsis of each trail by describing level of difficulty, frequency of maintenance, and elevation change. The book further describes the ecosystem that you are hiking thru and assists you in understanding the bio-diversity of each area. Perhaps most valuable, the book also provides a precsient review of the hazards of each seperate area--and methods of countering these hazards. These hazards include micro-organisms in the water and of course the ever-present grizzly and black Bears. Don't leave home without it!

I am confused; I have a book entitled: History of Marshall Co., Indiana, by Daniel McDonald. Is this the same book. If not, how is yours different. Please explanin?

Janet Marshall is a very impressive author. I felt that her integration of expository information into the story line was a wonderful way to share knowledge. This would be a perfect picture book to demonstrate expository integration in writing. The author has also used word choice and vocabulary in a way that should inspire children to extend their creativity to include their knowledge and experiences with the facts they are learning in their educational level. As to myself, it inspired me to plant more and research more of the varieties that are shared in this book.