This is one of those "special" books that you won't mind reading to your little one over and over again. I find that a great children's book is a lot like a great children's movie; both the parent and the child enjoy it yet at different levels. Such a tender story of a little one's fear that their parent won't come home. However, the beautiful and touching illustrations almost steal the show! You can see the worry in the little owl's eyes and hear little Bill's anxious "I want my Mommy!" My two year old daughter loves the part when it's "dark" outside because the artwork truly conveys the dark; but not in a scary way! I loved when the oldest owl, Sarah, suggests that they all sit on her limb together. My favorite illustration is when the mother owl returns and the 3 little fluffy baby owls are jumping up and down. You'll snuggle a little closer to your child when you read this one together. Just the sweetest little book you and your special one will ever read!

I bought this book over two years ago, when my daughter was around 14 months and was just starting to visibly enjoy being read to. Two years later she still pulls it off the shelf sometimes and asks me to read it (usually around bedtime).

The plot is appropriately simple: Mama Owl goes out hunting for the night, and the three owl babies get progressively more worried and scared. When they have almost sunk into despair, mom comes home.

The illustrations are beautiful. Benson does an excellent job of evoking the fear of the wee owlets as they wait, and their exuberant joy upon mama's return. They are a perfect companion to Waddell's writing.

Waddell makes good use of parallelism. After a couple of readings, if you're child is verbal, expect her to be wailing "I want my mommy!" right along with you and baby Bill. Also, despite the brevity and simple vocabulary, one gets a real sense of the different personalities of the owl babies. As children's literature goes, this is a masterpiece.

Concurring with several other reviewers, I would agree that this is a great book to share with your kids if any of them suffer from separation anxiety.

It's hard to say more about this wonderful book -- just wanted to add that my 23-month old has loved it for the past two months and I know this has to do with her presently intensified separation anxiety. Lovely story, artful evocative illustrations. One of my favorites to read!

Lots of books have been written on the "spiritual disciplines." But very few, if any, have been written with the breadth, depth, and intellectual stimulation as well as personal/spiritual edification that "Disciplines for the Inner Life" contains. The late Dr Bob Benson Sr, along with his son, Michael W. Benson, offer english-speaking Christians a volume which is bound to become a classic.

All the bases are covered in this volume: Section One deals with Disciplines for the Inner Journey, covering such topics as "Addressing God," "Solitude" "Making Moments" "Silence" "Petition" "Journaling" and thirteen other disciplines in this section alone.

Section Two, "Obstacles to the Inner Life" speaks poignantly and clearly to the "every day-ness" of our existence. We encounter such issues as "Guidance" "Time Management" "Distractions" "Doubts", "Place" and "God's Absence", plus several others.

Section Three clearly guides us through "Patterns for Living Inwardly." The authors help us discover the riches of "The Lord's Prayer" "The Lord's Supper" "The Beatitudes" "The Parables" "The Jesus Prayer." The richness of this section is well worth the price of the book all by itself.

SEction four, "Inward Graces of the Centered Life" calls us to a place of discovering just how we can "center" our lives on the things that really have eternal importance. Eight inward graces are addressed in this chapter, and when you buy the book, you will find out what they are!

Section Five provides the perfect climax to a volume of this magnitude. The Christian's "Outward Fruit of the Inner Life" is covered and explained in a beautiful, yet gripping manner. We understand more clearly the meaning of "Service" "Growth" "Liberty" "Priority" "Awareness" and "Celebration" plus three other graces.

If you are looking for a volume that offers a simple, this is "how-to-do" for the Spiritual life, then this volume is not for you. If you sincerely want to discover the Spiritual Disciplines from their aesthetic, historical, and reflective angles, this get this book, by all means.

Every Christian should have a copy of this book!

I first read this book on a professor's recommendation in 1985. Disciplines uses a weekly format, including a 2-part reading schedule (1 part for use, and 1 for reading through the Bible in a year), and writings from classic Christian writers through the centuries. Like others, I have started reading many authors after reading their words in Disciplines. The heart is grabbed, the brain is engaged, and God speaks to you every day. My only negative is that there is no sequel, although it is similar to a Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants, an excellent book from the Upper Room.

Disciplines for the Inner Life is a great tool for understanding scripture. I have used mine so much that it is worn thin. The book gives scripture, prayers, and insight into understanding God's word. It is full of insight and writings that couple with scripture to get the reader to think. It ministers to your heart, head, and soul. It challenges you to dig deeper into God's word. Excellent book. It could well be the best gift you could ever give.

I found "Pregnancy Myths" to be a highly informative, concisely written source on many questions I had as an expectant mother, and many others I had not thought to ask.

Pregnancy Myths is an absolute must for the pregnant woman and obstetric health care providers. As an obstetric nurse, I would highly recommend this book to my patients as well as to other nurses. It provides clear,consise, and easy to understand answers to the questions we are asked on a daily basis! Pregnancy Myths is a valuable resouce!

This book was extremely helpful to me and my wife during her last pregnancy. It answered and clarrified a number of questions that we had in regards to 'old wives tales' and other myths of pregnancy. Very easy to read and highly recommended to expectant families or those planning to add to their family.

Ms. Benson created a masterful book on home gardening. Her advice is practical and down-to-earth, and eminently useful. All I can add is...where is the second edition of Dirt?

Although Ms. Benson is apparently a garden neighbor of the great "Martha", her book is refreshingly different. We get to see not only what worked in the garden but also the things that didn't. There is extensive written information on how plants work together in different combinations. For the next version, I hope there are pictures.I especially liked the chapters on what the well dressed gardener wears and finding a new home in the garden for loved but broken pottery. Alas, I loaned my copy to a (former) gardening friend who has not returned it and am desperately seeking another copy. I can't believe this book is out of print.

If you are past the pictures stage on key shrubs and perennials and not too keen on annuals, and you want a clear detailed book with a point-of-view and some humor, this is the book to choose. Good list of plant choices with a good rating scale. Good info on flower groups, which to order and which to buy locally, the architecture of gardens ("bones"), etc. Should not be out of print. An updated version from Ms Benson with the perspective of an additional 5/6 years would be wonderful. (Are you there Ms Benson?)

This was my very first novel by Jessica Benson. From the very first pages of the prologue, so many characters - and I do mean CHARACTERS - being introduced all at once! I thought I might have to list them in order to keep them straight. Let me say did read this book and found it to be a delightful regency romp that was extremely amusing.

Calista Ashton, the vicar's sister, was a bit of a blue stocking, an aging spinster at the age of four and twenty who's main interests were doing fine deeds, reading scandalous books, racing fine steeds, and looking forward to an independent life once she acquired a small inheritance on her next birthday. She had no intentions of marrying and was quite content with her life exactly the way it was!

Now, enter a trio of London fops, Oswald, Neville, and Squibby who head out to visit their friend, Elmo Lyttworth in the country. Believe me when I say this, you could liken this trio to the three stooges. Lord Stanhope's aunt, has banished his cousin Oswald from the London Season to the country to atone for making a spectacle of himself at Almack's - this along with the directive that he seek a bride in order to settle himself down. Forever, getting himself involved with one fiasco after another, Oswald, before leaving London, initiates a bet at Whites that he would be engaged to the 'old' spinsterish Calista Ashton, before returning to London.

Now, his cousin Tristan, the Earl of Stanhope, has heard of this latest escapade and feels it his duty to try to extricate his cousin out of this latest scandal before the poor unsuspecting spinster hears of her name being bandied about in White's or, his Aunt hears of Ossies' latest folly. Using the excuse of buying a filly from Elmo Lyttworth, Tristan dispatches a letter to announce his intention of visiting and acquiring said filly. Lady Lyttworth, interprets the letter to mean that the Earl of Stanhope is going to offer for her daughter - thinking that his reference to a filly is how 'sportsmen' would refer to a comely girl! And so this story is set in motion and this great comedy of errors begins! This was an absolutely delightful and darling story. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the outrageous dialog between the cast of secondary characters who made me think I was in the middle of a "Three Stooges Movie". The dialog was fast, witty and amazingly fresh!

The romance between Tristan, Lord Stanhope, and Calista was refreshing and sweet, laced with just enough double entendres, and snappy comebacks, to give you nice warm fuzzy feelings. This is not to say that this romance ran smoothly, not when you have to include the witchy sister-in-law, matchmaking mama, three London fop bachelors, and a despicable revolting Squire looking to make Calista his wife to care for his seven motherless brats! No, the romance was not without it's impediments but it was quite satisfying nonetheless! I most definitely recommend this book to lovers of regency romance genre who wish a LARGE sprinkling of humor mixed in with their romance! This is an author to watch - I feel a new star has been born!

I found this book a delightful surprise - well drawn characters, good story lines and lots of fun. I found myself laughing out loud at the antics and the conversations. Something I haven't done since Georgette Heyer. I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by Ms Benson.

I have read tons of Regencies and have to say that Jessica Benson's Lord Stanhope's Proposal was a joy. Right from the clever prologue, I almost felt as if I were reading a Georgette Heyer. Miss Benson, like Heyer, assembled the most vivid cast of characters to people her novel, somehow having them all play their parts to bring the book to its satisfying ending. Stanhope was a dream and Calista a very appealing heroine. If you like Regencies, you'll LOVE Lord Stanhope's Proposal.

This is the first book I've read in E.F. Benson's "Lucia" series, and it is fun-filled ride indeed. For Benson novices, Lucia Lucas is a middle aged, recently widowed (in this novel), perfectly nice upper middle class woman who just happens to have the mind of Machavelli. Missing her obvious calling for World Domination, she is instead content to rule the social life of her small English village with an iron fist. As "Mapp and Lucia" begins however, Lucia has long since deposed any serious threat to her social dominance in her immediate vicinity, and decides fresher pastures are in order. She packs up her things (including , of course, best friend and right-hand-man Georgie) and moves to Tilling, where she expects she will be made society Queen in no time flat. Unfortunately for Lucia, Tilling already has a Queen, one Elizabeth Mapp, and she has no intention of relinquishing her crown.

The scene is thus set for a true Battle Royal, only in Tilling the battelfields are luncheons and dinner parties, and the weapons fruit gardens and lobster recipes. The results are very very funny, as the genteel of Tilling spend a breathless year thoroughly enjoying each swipe, snub and put down. The hilarious climax has our heroines floating out to sea on an overturned kitchen table, with Lucia's last audible words promising delicious gossip just as soon as she gets out of her current mess.

Benson draws his characters exquisitely well, I found myself flat out liking her. She is an Englishwomen of the 1930's, past her prime but still youthful, who just happens to be blessed (cursed?) with the personality of an Alpha Male. The resulting battle of wits with the formidable Mapp is fascinating; Mapp is clearly not her intellectual equal but through a mixture of deviousness and and cunning manages to pull the carpet from underneath Lucia's carefully laid plans time and again. The supporting characters are equally well written, with best friend Georgie and Mapp's crony Diva especially amusing.

All in all, a funny, entertaining and biting satire that is well worth reading whether you are already a Lucia fan or are picking up a Benson novel for the first time. Highly recommended!

This is the highlight of the series, pitting Lucia against her less able, but equally ruthless counterpart, Elizabeth Mapp - two ladies who both consider themselves social queens of the village of Tilling. The ensuing war includes Fete's garden parties dinner parties and climaxes with the crafty Miss Mapp attempting to steal the recipe for Lobster ala Reisholme and being caught by Lucia, they are then caught in a flood and whisked out to sea on a kitchen table. Oh my!

I cannot say enough about this adaptation. Prunella Scales produces the voices excellently. For those who do not know Lucia and Mapp - They are Elizabeth mapp and Emmeline Lucas - two ladies whom both consider themselves social queens of the village of Tilling. The ensuing war includes Fete's garden parties dinner parties and climaxes with the crafty Miss mapp attempting to steal the recipe for Lobster ala Reisholme and being caught by Lucia, they are then caught in a flood and whisked out to sea on a kitchen table - it's hilarious when listened to. The conflicts between these two are scarier than Snipes and Stallone in full flow.

I am currently reading these books to my daughter who just turned five. We are both really enjoying them. I know the recommended age is seven and up but these books are great even before then but be prepared to discuss it also. My daughter can't wait to find out what Addy is going to do next. I think that these books are a great foundation for young girls. It can help them understand history as well as know that they can make a difference in the world no matter how small they are. We are working our way through the different American Girl series but I definately recommend the Addy books to everyone young and old. I think the history section at the end of each book is fabulous and really puts it in language a child can understand. It also helps that they relate the history to Addy since she is someone your child "knows" after reading the books.

I like this book because it is fun and easy to read. It only has
69 pages and a lot of good pictures. Addy is an American girl who
is a slave and wants to be free. At the end of the book she was
free. I was happy for her.

I liked the Addy books a lot when I was younger, and got the hardcover boxed set for Christmas. Addy is one of the better American Girls in the American Girls Collection, and her books should be a recommended read.

I used to suffer from only slight but chronic insomnia, and when I got up in the mornings, I used to feel like I had been run over by a truck. I bought this book thinking that I've got nothing to lose except a few dollars. Yet after only a few days of following the expert advice contained in this book, my sleep improved "drastically", and I was finally able to function normally again during the day.

This book has all the information you need in order to develop a healthy sleep pattern that will inevitably improve the quality of your life if not save it. If you depend on sleeping pills or tranquilizers to sleep, this book will show you how to get off them and to stay off them for good.

Finally, I would recommend this book not only for the desperate insomniacs out there, but for EVERYONE, since it contains lots of useful and expert information that we ALL can use from time to time.

This book is wonderful--I finished it in 2 days! It is a very easy-to-read explanation of the physiology of sleep, why we lose it, and how we can get it back. The techniques Dr. Jacobs describes to stop insomnia are easy to follow (although they do take patience and persistence) and really make sense. And, best of all, this program works!!! I suffered from insomnia for over 16 years, and I never thought I would be free of endless days and nights worrying about sleep. To my amazement, the night following the day I started reading the book, I fell asleep within 10 minutes! Unheard of for me! And, I wasn't even employing any of the techniques suggested in the book yet. I whole-heartedly recommend this book to all insomniacs who suffer from constant anxiety about sleeping as I did, and wish you endless nights of restful sleep!

I am the author of Desperately Seeking Snoozin' and also sponsor a very active insomnia discussion forum. Many of the people who post on the site have reported how much Dr. Jacob's book has helped them sleep better and recommend the book for other sufferers. My congratulations to Dr. Jacobs for his book and for the insomnia program that he runs. There are very few sleep clinics that offer a good insomnia program.

Pippi Longstocking is frequently one of the first chapter books read to children, and as a first grade teacher, I can attest to the value of its choice. Pippi is a larger than life character who does so many things that young children find absolutely wonderful and satisfying. * * * * * * * * * * * Pippi, an *orphan* with braids askew, lives all by herself at Villa Villekulla. Her only companions are her monkey and a horse (who lives on her porch).Children get to know Pippi through Annika and Tommy, *proper* children who live next door. Pippi looks at things as obliquely as her braids; she usually sees the positive side of things, unless she is requested to go to school or learn the multiplication tables. She has her own ideas about things, and simply cannot be made to follow the rules, but her way of disobeying is amusing and quite chathartic for children who ALWAYS have to follow the rules that adults make. She does not inspire kids to break the rules;she just makes them laugh with glee at her absurdity. She has *powers* that they adore!

I thought that Pippi Longstocking was an excellent book. It was very exciting and full of adventure. I thought that it was cool that she had a monkey for a pet. I also liked that she lived alone, being a nine year old girl, yet she could take care of herself. If Pippi wasn't out making trouble she was at home cooking on the kitchen floor. She does everything that comes her way. She has a very high self-esteem and she is almost always up to something, whether it be dancing with the robbers or talking about her grandmother's housekeeper, Malin. I would recommend this book to older elementary students. They would have a fun time reading all the crazy things Pippi does.

For years, I've enjoyed reading, re-reading, and re-re-reading Pippi Longstocking and the three other books that follow it. This is one of the very few children's books that are, very necessarily, a staple of any good childhood. Pippi allows every child, whether it be in age, or in heart, to live out fantasies of going to the ends of the earth and of having fun adventures from which they'll always come out on top, with Pippi leading the way. Though there were few books in the series, especially compared to most other children's series, the powerful words contained within their covers more than compensate for this, raising your imagination to new heights.

I have only one message for anyone reading this: BUY THIS BOOK. Whether or not you have children, this is an exciting, completely irreverent, and just plain fun story that will have you laughing and dreaming just like a kid--again. :)

Can you imagine what happens when butterflies kiss? It has to be simply beautiful and mesmerizing to witness one of God's most delicate creatures take time to experience the intricacies of love and passion. As Dante shares his experiences and observations, we also see what we too often miss when we rush into things. We miss the beauty around us as well as the beauty within us.

This unique collaboration is creatively written, giving readers a sensual, passionate glimpse of the magic of butterflies kissing. As each writer tells their story of Dante's journey through love, you will sense the delicate flutters as the words begin to gently touch your heart and soul. "When Butterflies Kiss" is a piece of art which is best savored and not read too hurriedly.

Enjoy this read and allow the gentle kisses to awaken and refresh your soul.

When Butterflies Kiss is one man's story of growth, dreams, fear and love.
Dante, the main character of the story, is a young African American male that
is a social worker and aspiring writer. Dante is a complex and interesting
character. As the story progress we get a glimpse of his past, the
complexities of his current life and his goals and aspirations for the future.
His greatest weakness seems to be his relationship with women. He has buried
his sensitive side in order to protect his heart and is involved with any
number of meaningless sexual relationships. Most important however, is Dante's
desire to have more for his life. This journey for more meaning in his life,
career and relationships eventually leads him to some life changing decisions.

The other characters in the book are like a supporting cast; these characters
are not as thoroughly developed. Although the reader only knows these
characters in terms of Dante, each character plays a critical role in the plot
and in the growth that he eventually achieves. I would have liked to have read
a bit more about what made the female characters tick.

When Butterflies Kiss is a unique tale written by a team of authors. Ten
writers, each responsible for his or her own chapter, write the book. Each
author has their own style, but they do an excellent job of portraying the
characters and the plot consistently and the chapters flow beautifully. As I
began this book, I was curious about what reading a novel by several different
authors would be like but I was quite pleased with this collaborative effort.
I would have liked to have seen more detailed character development for the
female characters and there were a couple of aspects of the plot that I felt
were left hanging. Still, overall I thought this was a great effort and I look
forward to future works by each of the individual authors as well as future
collaborations...

Have you ever watched a Butterfly? They move gracefully through transitions, keeping their momentum, landing in what appears an effortless fashion. When Butterflies Kiss, is no different. A perfect blend of imagery and realism, the opening chapter had me hooked. I read through the night entranced by Dante. The poetic verse of his journey pulled me into his world. His revelations became mine. Worried that with multiple writers I would be jolted from one style to another, the collaboration proved themselves capable of seamless dialogue. Page after page, this story progressed naturally. I recognize Dante in several of my friends and I saw myself in some of his encounters. This book is filled with rich, poignant prose. My only complaint is that it had to end. Praises to the Authors. I look forward to the sequel. I'm off to read it for a third time.