A Review by Danielle:
The main characters are Peter, Marnie, and Clare. Peter and Marnie move to a new house called Stoneycraig. Something weird was going on but they had no logical explanation for it. Clare, someone who's lived in the city her whole life wants to help. ... in some way she had made it even harder to figure out the truth.
I really liked this book, it was so interesting and surprising. But, it had too many mysteries to call it a horror book.

As Marnie and Peter race to discover the secrets of Stoneycraig, readers will anxiously turn the pages. Fine writing, a likable hero and heroine, and genuine suspense make this a fine read for young adult readers and their parents.

Be sure to read Ms. Rice's other novels, which include "The Listeners", "The Year the Wolves Came", and the "Class Trip" books.

"Music from the Dead" is a wonderful mystery/ghost story. The hero and heroine are appealing. The house is truly creepy. The solution to the mystery is a real surprise.

Be sure to read Bebe Faas Rice's other novels, which include "The Year the Wolves Came" and "The Listeners".

The hex signs, the cows on the cover are a clue to the pure fun of reading Williamson's Pennsylvania Dutch Night Before Christmas. The cadence, the w/v sounds are possible to understand from the very beginning. The explanations of the German dialect are not overdone. Even the names of the cows and steers are Pennsylvania Dutch to the core. The book is fun to read aloud; fun to look through: the illustrations are as joyful as the words. Children outside the area of Amish populations may not understand some of the subtle humor, the names used, such as "Stolzfus." But children of all ages will enjoy the overall effect of the book: good fun.

If you ever had "clear toy" candy (still made in Lititz), and know what the words "schusslich" and "nixnootzes" mean, you'll enjoy this version of The Night Before Christmas done by someone who knows PA Deutsch (German) commonly called PA Dutch. Whether or not you grew up in a PA Dutch family, you might learn something. I did! And, there is an explanation of pronunciations (like "ch" for "j" so "just so" becomes "chust so") in the back of the book. There is also a pretty good recipe for Shoofly Pie (similar to mine), but unfortunately none of the great Christmas cookies, like Sand Tarts and Molasses Cakes. I now read this charming parody of Clement Moore's version on Christmas Eve.

The author of this book read it to kids on the Pennsylvania Kids Network, and they loved it - but then, kids would love it when a stranger would come in and read legal advertising from the newspaper. Can you really trust the judgement of a group that loves McDonald's and Pee Wee Herman?Nope, this is a book for adults to enjoy, year after year. Kids will never appreciate the naming of the holsteins, or the authenticity of the Plain Sect traditions associated with Christmas. They'll just laugh when the roof caves in.So don't give this book to your kids. Give it to your boss, or to your webmaster - someone who enjoys subtle humor in the style of Shel Silverstein. An adult will appreciate it a lot more.

I was shuffling through the "older science fiction" section of one of my favourite second-hand book stores recently when I happened upon a slim paperback edition of "The Princess of Mars". It looked kind of interesting, with rather guady cover art of a buffed hero with a semi-naked woman in his arms surrounded by what looked like the distant cousins of those weird six-limbed green creatures that appeared in the pilot of "Battlestar Galactica". Noticing that it was authored by Edgar Rice Burroughs of "Tarzan" fame, and that it was selling for a mere $NZ4, I bought it.

It wasn't long before I delved into it, and shortly afterwards I found myself hooked. Being Burroughs' first big break, having been published in 1912, it is a little rough around the edges and the prose is somewhat dated and difficult to get used to. My advice is to press on as you will find that you soon become familiar with the style.

The tale is of John Carter of Virginia, a nineteenth century gentleman who by unclear means happens to find himself transported to Mars, or as it is known in the Martian tongue, Barsoom. There follows action and adventure as Carter encounters the fearsome green men of Mars, the more civilised but perhaps equally dangerous red men, and the titular Princess of Mars. The Princess is of the red race, and is the most beautiful woman on Barsoom. Of the royal family of the city of Helium, Carter encounters Princess Dejah Thoris for the first time while both are captives of the green men. Naturally Carter and the princess fall in love, although the path to romance is by no means smooth.

The action in this novel, with Carter's heroic exploits in personal combat and leading vast armies and fleets of men, is reminiscent of 1930s cinema serials. Indeed, the story itself is very episodic, mostly because "A Princess of Mars" was originally published under the title "Under the Moon of Mars" in "All-Story Magazine" as a six-part serial in 1912. Nevertheless, the story never falters and moves along at a fast clip. However, this does mean that many epic battles along the way find themselves summarised in a paragraph or less.

The first of eleven Mars novels featuring John Carter, I was hooked by this first installment and am already seeking out the next adventure, "The Gods of Mars".

Great, classic science fiction. Enjoy!

Edgar Rice Burroughs will always be remembered first and foremost for his creation of Tarzan, but it was the character of John Carter, who first appeared in "A Princess of Mars" who truly served as a template for other science fiction writers. From Lin Carter's "Green Star" series to John Norman's "Gor" books there are tales of the man from Earth traveling to a strange new world and having wondrous adventures. John Carter was a gentleman of Virginia who finds himself looking at his dying body in an Arizona cave. Opening his arms to the planet Mars, Carter is suddenly whisked to the Red Planet, where rival tribes battle while the planet's atmosphere continues to dissipate. Captured by a band of six-limbed giants, Carter soon earns their respect for his prowess as a warrior and forges a lasting friendship with Tars Tara's of the Tharks. But then the Tharks attack a fleet of airborne vessels and capture Dejah Thoris, the Princess of Helium, the greatest city on Barsoom (as the Martians call Mars). Of course, they get off on the wrong foot, since Carter knows nothing about the culture of the red humanoid race. But the lovely Princess of Mars has captured the Virginian's heart. Abandoning dreams of returning to Earth, he wants nothing better than to win her love. In the meanwhile, he has to protect her from the amorous attention of the depraved ruler of the Tharks, bring some semblance of civilization to the barbarian tribes, and stop all out war between the green men and red men from ending Barsoom's last chance for survival.

"A Princess of Mars" is the first of eleven novels in Burroughs' Martian Series, which seemed to avoid the pitfalls of some of ERB's lesser Tarzan novels. All things considered the Martian Series is vastly superior to the more famous Tarzan books. If Dejah Thoris is not the most beautiful woman in the history of fantasy and science fiction, then she certainly has the all-time best name. John Carter is able to take advantage of the Red Planet's lesser gravity to do great feats of leaping about, but it is his innate intelligence and intense sense of personal honor that make him almost idealistically noble. When I first read every ERB novel I could get my hands on in Middle School, Tarzan was always Tarzan, but there was something about John Carter that somehow made him the greater hero in my eyes. Maybe it was the way he handled a sword or how he was always determined to make Barsoom a better place that made him seem Burrough's finest creation. Certainly you will find ERB's most imaginative work, including the great game of Martian Chess, in this series. Do not stop at the first book, because while these novels are fast approaching being a century old, they hold up much better than the writings of Jules Verne or H. G. Wells, at least in terms of being adventure yarns, whatever their limitations in terms of pure science fiction.

This is the most mystical of all of Edgar Rice Burroughs novels. The hero, Captain John Carter of Virginia, can remember no childhood. As far back as he can recall he has always been a fighting man of about 30. While called "Uncle Jack" by the Carters, his exact connection to the family is uncertain. As a soldier of fortune, he has traveled the world in the service of "an old and powerful emperor and several lesser kings." He has fought with distinction in the War between the States, as well as, lived and fought with the Plains Indians on the frontier.
It is while prospecting in the Arizona Territory that he runs afoul of Apaches and finds himself in the cave of a shaman. Here he undergoes what is obviously an out-of-the-body experience and transport to Mars, "god of my vocation." This is a Mars of majestic dead seas and dead cities, as well as, warring city states and aerial dreadnought fleets. It is a Mars of many races and species, some honorable and some monstrous. Above all, it is a Mars of high adventure.
Inspite of the fact that it was written in 1912, this story holds up. My mother, who was born in 1915 (right before the world started to go to hell) remembered my great aunt reading from this book ,aloud, on the front porch on summer evenings. Really, I do not think that a modern writer could recreate the style of this narrative. The themes of honor, loyalty, duty, courage, and friendship run too strong and too true. There is no modern cynicism and soul rot here.

I am NOT a writer so bear with my lack of talent when it comes to wriiting reviews,

I wont be able to do the book justice that it deserves.

Take it for granted that, if you buy this book, you should only begin it when you have an available sick day coming..... youll be up all night reading it........literally !
As the editors have accuratly stated, if you love Esquival, Tan, Hoffman, or Allende, ( etc etc) then youre going to ADORE Manicka. This is her first novel and beleive me, she ranks up there with the best.....
excellant read

*(multi generational novel that begins with a young teen being married off in Ceylon.........)

The Rice Mother is not a book, it is an experience. Structured in a style reminiscent of Barbara Kingsolver's bestselling The Poisonwood Bible, Manicka takes the reader on a journey through times and cultures and contexts that, though foreign, become heartbreakingly familiar. The only drawback to this book is that Manicka's detailed family portrait, which begins before World War II and ends with the present, will make your own life and family insignificant for the duration of your read. Happily, no one will suffer for very long because the pace of her prose is such that pages turn quickly. When I put this book down, it was with a bittersweet sigh of sorrow over having to say goodbye to characters who will live in my head for a very long time to come.

This book was a wonderful read. It kept me very interested and was written in great detail. It reminded me somewhat of the movie "The Joy Luck Club" because it talks about different stories of generations of family. I absolutely loved it. I really recommend this book to anyone.

After reading three diaries (Diary of Daniel Chisholm, Three Years in Co. K, and this book) I place this one at the top (for now.) The description of Bull's experience following Chancellorsville, wounded in the hip and face, lying in the mud, while men are dying all around him, is particularly moving. I'm a novice Civil War buff, and would recommend this title to someone who has more than a passing interest in the daily life of a Northern soldier.

For those readers who are interested in a good first account of life as a Yankee soldier during the American Civil War, this is the book. I found the account written by Elijah Hunt Rhodes to be quite bland. Full of patriotic sentiment that sheds little light on his vulnerability. Rhodes' may have been a great soldier but he is an amateur storyteller. Rice Bull on the other hand, is a natural born writer. I found this book hard to put down. The pictures Bull paints are startling, amazing, hilarious and terrifying. This book's depiction of war lives in an entirely different universe than, John Wayne, Turner Classics, or any of the tedious accounts written by the Civil War Generals attempting to clear their name. Full of fantastic insight and ironies this book is right up there with "Catch 22" and "Journey to the End of the Night".

This is an excellent book to get an understanding in the daily life of a Northern soldier. The R.C. Bull's journal is an "easy" read and allows the reader to grasp what it was like to be in the infantry during the Civil War. R.C. Bull writes about the types of rations they were issued, their living conditions, and the marches they had to endure. He writes about trading goods with the Confederate "rebs" and his treatment as wounded prisoner. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the life of an enlist man during the Civil War.

This book is the most informative book I've found on individual tall buildings. The photos are absolutely beautiful, and after reading the book, I felt as if I had really toured some of the world's best skyscrapers. Though, some of the buildings' heights are contraversial such as the Sears Tower which is more often claimed to be 1,454 feet. The book says 1,450 feet. Also, Miami's Southeast Financial Center is said to be only 738 feet, yet I've heard from several sources it is 764 feet. The CTBUH put a lot of research into the making of this book, and I can't blame them for slight errors.

I am a 6th grade math teacher. Every year my students need to research a building anywhere in the world. This book provides the information I require them to find about the year built, architects, height, and location. It also has wonderful photographs of each building that will enable students to write summaries of the observable geometric properties.

Guy Doud was 1986 teacher of the year. Hailing from Brainerd, Minnesota, he writes of his difficult experiences growing up and how his teachers and peers affected him.

Doud demonstrates that teachers are the molders or destroyers of dreams. All of us, then, are teachers and we are letters to others simply by our actions.

As teachers, we can write letters of hope and encouragement or failure and distress, on the hearts of those we meet.

Doud challenges the reader to ask whether they want to be remembered for a letter that is positive or negative.

This book was recommended to me after I was selected as high school teacher of the year for our school district. Being a Christian and an educator, I was so inspired by the feelings of this wonderful author and person. Doud shares his personal feelings about his students and his passion for teaching. It is easy to see how he eventually became national teacher of the year. I recommend this book to anyone who has a desire to make a difference in the field of education. It is truly inspiring.

I first saw Guy Doud's video Molder of Dreams a few years ago, and I was in awe of the passion he has for his career and for the students he reaches. I read this book after seeing the video and was gripped even more intensely by reading a more detailed account of some of the experiences his video touches on. Doud refers to himself as a 'feeler' in his field therefore trying to reach beyond just the 'three R's' of schooling. Doud is an excellent write and is an expert at touching heartstrings through his words. I was at the point of tears and laughing out loud at different places throughout this book. This is one of those books I've read several times--especially when I've gottne frustrated with the teaching courses I'm taking to become a teacher. I can't wait to read Doud's other works.

This is actually two books in one. The first, describing the exploits of Julian 9 was the better of the two, in my opinion, due to the great struggle to lead a downtrodden people up from the dregs of existence and begin the revolution. The second book, taking place more than 300 years after the first book, is more of the typical ERB; i.e. hero gets captured, makes escape, gets the girl, and wins the war. There was some character development here and I found it interesting that the hero's brother was the "enlightened" one. The hero makes some progress towards changing his world view but in the end, remains the action-oriented adventurer. That doesn't mean its bad, just typical ERB. When I read ERB I am always amazed that he wrote his stories so long ago and yet had amazing insight on problems of today and tomorrow. An amazing feat. Enjoy reading the Moon Men.

As a child I wallowed in ERB, as an adult I pretty much dismissed him as the Slave To Formula he was (one might argue that he invented or refined the the formula but that does not make it a particularly good formula, and even a quick comparison with Dumas or Stevenson will suffice to blow this particular Mr. Burroughs out of the water) - however, something about the darkness and savagery of The Moon Men has always remained with me. His vision was here was uncharacteristically, studiously pessimistic and deeply cthonic - the narrator describing his own throat being slit, the dregs of humanity in the wake of the lunar invasion being raised like beef-cattle, and the wonderful evil of the "electric guns" which can be set at the frequency of bone, say, and thus dissolve all the bones of anyone coming within range of the rays (which is actually quite conceivable today, but rather innovative for Burroughs' era) - all in all, this book (and to a lesser degree its predecessor, The Moon Maid) seems ERB's darkest yet most advanced.

This was my First ERB book and I think that it is one of his finest and accompanied by the "Moon Maid", which I believe is the first book of this duet, makes this a very good ERB story.

This is a nice book. I like the illustrations made by Rice and his style of writing. It offers layout plans that are different then found in most similar books or railroad magazines. However, I feel that the book does not reach its full potential. In the past, the author has written an excellent and refreshing book on layout design, "An Approach to Model Railway Layout Design" (Wild Swan). That book offers a wealth of concepts and ideas that are not found in most (popular) layout books. None, or only few, of these ideas or concept can be found in "Small, smart and practical track plans". I feel it is a missed opportunity and in this regard the book is a disappointment. Still, it offers more than most other layout books and is a good start in developing your own plans.

This book presents some basic thoughts at the beginning discussing the advantages and disadvantages of small layouts, then offers several layouts which vary from simple "L"'s to whole bedroom layouts. The focus is primarily on shelf and waterwing layouts. The plans are well thought out, and the author does a nice job of drawing out his vision of how the structures should be sited, how to treat the backdrop for different scenes, etc. The only thing about this book that bothers me is that on at least two layouts, the binding of the book blocks part of the track plan - a definite negative if you should decide to build one of these plans.

I really liked the way the author gets inside the whole concept for each layout, explaining his vision of the important elements of each plan and then illustrating it very nicely. Think of this as a starting point for your own ideas and you won't go far wrong. Like the previous reviewer I'm slightly dissapointed by the way the book is bound, with plans being printed across a very tight spine.
If, like me, you've always had trouble designing a lot layout to fit into a tight space, then this is the book for you.

This book is an excellent resource for any one serious about studying Egypt. It gives detailed information about every one from the highest pharaoh to the third scribe of the graineries of Amun at Karnak. Each entry is complete with dynasty and occupation as well every other piece of information you could want. The only problem is that it is a resource, and not a great book for beginners or anyone who wants to now how the individuals shaped history. This is not a book you just sit down and read. Its simply biographies, but incredible biographies. It is a must have for anyone who wants to complete their understanding of ancient Egypt.

This is a good at-hand reference for the armchair Egyptologist, or anyone who needs quick, concise information about numerous and important ancient Egyptians. Because some of the entries are very brief, however, it's probably not as useful for an expert in the field.

Who are the people behind the world's greatest ancient civilisation is the crucial question which drives this great book. From the most famous to the lowly people, from Egypt's heights of prosperity to its depths of despair, the people behind the names, both in their original and their Greek transliterated form, are revealed in an English language alphabetical order. Many of the museum collections have been examined and elaborated on. The first entry in the book is a scribe, Aakheperkare-senb and the last one is Zoser (aka Djoser Netjerykhet). Although there are no illustrations, it is an excellent and well-written reference, a must for students and scholars.