We've been reading this book for over two years - my four year old still requests it at bed time. He is very interested in those sea slugs, periwinkles, and anemones - so perhaps the Horn review missed the point, it is for kids isn't it? and it is also written by a 12 year old. There are some fun sea creature facts and vivid illustrations!!! :)

This is a really neat book for those Canadians- and Americans too! Pierre Burton retells the battle of Lake Erie in an interesting, exciting way, from both sides point of view. Definetly a good book for first time Burton readers

In late nineteenth century New Zealand, William McQuiggan, a victim of child abuse, strikes out at those who love him such as his wife Myra. William finds solace only in alcohol. However, while working in the hated fields, a drunken William sees a vision. He decides to go on a quest in search of God.

William leaves behind his pregnant wife and journeys across the Pacific to Utah where he joins the Mormons. When he concludes that religion as bogus, he tries the Jehovah's Witnesses, but feels that movement is a sham. He next heads to Illinois to join Dr. Alexander Dowie's Zion City utopia before souring on that faction. While on his American adventure, his wife and twin children finally join him and soon more children follow. He becomes further unhinged until he returns home in a last ditch effort to reach God through his own church.

Stephanie Johnson paints a dark work of historical fiction in that there is little hope beyond bleakness even for those who believe in God. The story line is vivid as it describes several locales, the era, and religions with clarity and depth. William is a wonderfully drawn character whose slow descent into a self-made hell makes BELIEF work though readers will tire of the abused Myra traipsing after her man.

Harriet Klausner

I have read quite a number of books on inspiration, motivation and those claiming to answer all the doubts of human mind. The thing lacking in most books is they assume a lot about the reader. The degree of doubt is high in such books. Questions like, Why I am not getting the passion? why that excercise is not working?, Is something wrong with me? keep arising all the time. And in the end you end up in a deeper mess than you were before. It does'nt work for most of us I feel. The good part about Micheal Thomas is that his story starts bang into the kind of mess most of us are, bored with life, living but with no excitement, always realizing the futility of everything. The satisfaction that I used to get in little things before is not there even for bigger things. That is exactly Michael Thomas is feeling when the book starts. And as he transforms as and when he gets his answers and as a result I too transform. Most of the time I wish I was Micheal Thomas so remarkable is the identification with him. The book is not a how-to guide to all your troubles, a panacea, but more of self analysis. If you are filled with questions nobody is able to answer grab this book and read it in peace and silence, you may be amazed with the end result.

Birds in the Waterfall takes you on a round-the-world tour of the water in, over and all around us. You will never look at water the same way again. Filled with facts to challenge any textbook, it nevetheless reads like an adventure novel. A great read!

The second of the Harry Garnish books, Blood Lake reintroduces the reader to the warmth and humor of detective Garnish and his employer, former nun Bridget O'Toole. The characters are what make this book great. The work is more complex than the plot-driven, boiler-room fiction you may be used to. Read it for the voices McConnell gives each individual and the joy of watching them slog through a criminal investigation. Not to be missed

This is a cute book. The story is nice, but not brilliant. The illustrations are great.

In her novels, Louise Erdrich has never strayed far from the northern plains of her youth, nor the interior landscape of a woman straddling the border of two cultures.

And she doesn't stray far in "Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country," her deeply personal, non-fiction reflection on the land and lore of some of her indigenous ancestors.

Part travelogue and part memoir, Erdrich takes her infant daughter by small boat to Lake of the Woods in southern Ontario to visit powerful, centuries-old rock paintings still read by contemporary Ojibwe as "teaching and dream guides." She sees these cultural artifacts, like books, as intimate art and communications that transcend centuries.

But this trek among the myths and spirits of an ancient culture begins and ends -- and sometimes pauses along the way -- in the contemporary life of one of America's most superb storytellers. It explores the edges of the sometimes-treacherous zones in Erdrich's personal landscape: Family, love and children.

"Books and Islands" is the latest title in National Geographic's Directions series, travel memoirs by some of the world's most highly regarded literary figures, including David Mamet's "South of the Northeast Kingdom," and John Edgar Wideman's recent "The Island: Martinique."

Fans of Erdrich's earlier fiction, such as "Love Medicine" or "The Master Butchers Singing Club," will glimpse the very foundation of her literary vision in this small, easily read volume, which also includes several original drawings by Erdrich.

I was working on a report for Buddhism so I got this book its a very informative book if you want to learn about buddhist festivals I must say this is the perfect book from even if you want to learn about Bhikkus or Mayanha monks

Mr. Jones' story is very honest, interesting and full of adventure. His life has been very tumultuous, yet full of life and love. He gives us an insight to animals that most of us will never be able to experience. Thank you, Marshall, for sharing your life with us!