For young readers who want their biographies filled with lots of pictures, the Profiles of the Presidents series seeks to oblige. This look at Ulysses S. Grant by Jean Kinney Williams contains historical illustrations on every single page. However, the strength of this particular juvenile biography is that it provides not only the basic biographical details of Grant's life, but it also covers the significant aspects of his administrations as President, much more so than similar volumes I have read. Williams begins the book with Grant's transition from General to President and then looks at how his early successes and failures set the stage for becoming the general that President Lincoln finally found to lead the Union armies to victory in the Civil War. Each book in the Profiles of the Presidents series features a glossary, fast facts about the president, a parallel timeline of world and presidential events, resources to help young readers understand the president's life and times better, and an index. Consequently, this is an excellent first biography for younger kids to read as a way of finding out more about Ulysses S. Grant.

At the end of this juvenile biography, Zachary Kent lets the final verdict on Ulysses S. Grant as a soldier be rendered by Robert E. Lee, who wrote: "I have carefully searched the military records of both ancient and modern history and have never found Grant's superior as a general." That is a most impressive comment, especially coming from the man who still enjoys a reputation as the most superb tactician in American military history. It also underscores the fact that even though Grant was the 18th President of the United States, his reputation ultimately rests on what he did as a general during the Civil War and not what happened in the two scandal plagued terms he served in the White House.

As with most of these volumes in the Encyclopedia of Presidents series, this particular volume begins "in media res," with the pivotal battle of Shiloh, which nearly derailed Grant's military career during the Civil War. Kent develops Grant's life as a series of peaks and valleys. Successful as a young lieutenant in the Mexican War, Grant was a failure in peacetime at everything he ever tried. However, during the Civil War "Unconditional Surrender" Grant achieved a series of notable military successes in the West until President Lincoln brought him East to take command of all Federal forces. After the war Grant becomes President, not out of any sense of ambition, but rather because he feels that he can fulfill Lincoln's vision of a reunited country, even in the face of strong Congressional opposition from the Radical Republicans. However, a series of scandals wearies Grant (who probably could have won a third term in any event), and he retired to discover he was broke. Dying of throat cancer and urged on by Mark Twain, Grant restored his family's fortune by writing his autobiography literally on his deathbed.

More than any other President, Grant's life story is inspiring when he is not in the White House. There are very few generals who became politicians who were comfortable in the change (Andrew Jackson would be the exception that proves the rule), and Grant repeatedly proved himself not to be a politician. But it says something that all of the scandals never touched upon his character or his reputation with the American people. Note: I was somewhat surprised that this book offers very few photographs of Grant, although there are dozens of historical etchings (including some that are based on photographs that I have seen before). As always, this Encyclopedia of Presidents volume is very informative. Kent does an above-average job of not only detailing the events in Grant's life but in giving young readers a true sense of the man. This is not surprising, because Kent is one of the better historians writing for young people around.

I have been reading through the "Our Presidents" series (in alphabetical order, just to be different) and I am formulating a hypothesis that says if you want your kid to grow up to be President give them a first name they want to change. Our Eighteenth President was born Hiram Ulysses Grant and ended up as Ulysses S. Grant because of an error made when he registered at West Point. Grant is one of several Presidents who jettisoned their first name (Cleveland and Coolidge) or changed it completely when their mothers remarried (Ford and Clinton). So maybe there is a secret to becoming President besides having a father who was President with the same first name but a different second name.

Anyhow, Ulysses S. Grant is a somewhat problematic President to write about in a juvenile biography because while he was a successful general in the Civil War he was also attacked by some for being a butcher because of the high casualty rates. Historians argue about how deserved the charge is, but the issue is not really raised by Ann Graham Gaines in this book. Similarly, the litany of political scandals that afflicted Grants two terms as President can be rather discouraging to young readers. Gaines looks at Grant's life before the Civil War, his successful rise to head of the Union armies during the war, and the brief period after the Civil War before Grant was elected President. This book is illustrated with historic photographs and paintings of Grant. Most of the chapters have a detailed sidebar on key topics, such as Grant's wife and the 15th Amendment, and the margins usually contain some interesting facts, such the first book Grant ever read (a biography of George Washington) and Julia Grant's eye problems. The writing in this particular volume skews a tad younger than other volumes in the Our Presidents series, which remains a first-rate introduction for young students to the lives and administrations of the nation's Chief Executives.

I read this book and it's really *GREAT*. It follows the development of the thought of this great revolutionary of our century, Ted Grant, a communist from South Africa who went to Britain in the '20s. A man who can publish his writings of decades ago without being ashamed of his prophecies and positions. I found many resources about him on the Internet and I'm a supporter of his ideas too. I listened personally to him when he came to Italy speaking about Russia and Kosovo and I was extremely impressed by him. You cannot understand anything happened in this century without a Marxist-Trotskyist approach like his one.

In order for us as educators to effectively assess our students, we must decipher how our students learn and understand.

That's essentially what McTighe and Wiggins help us do here. I also bought their textbook for a course I took in Assessment. It was fascinating.

This book, along with the textbook is very useful in Unit Planning and shows its readers how to effectively use the "backward design" technique. Teachers, I can only describe the technique as assessment the way WE think it should be.

This handbook is a step-by-step guide with tons of reproducibles.

Very useful find for planning the school year!

This was the first great book I've read concerning aviation. With only moderate knowledge of aviation previous to reading this book, I was very pleased with the enormous amount I had learned. Though it is very informative and intended for adult readers, this is not at all a complex, hard-to-understand book. I read it a few years ago when I was about ten or eleven years old.

I found this strategy guide to be helpful. It helped me play through the game a lot quicker.

This book defines the demographics of the market and the products and services it demands. Learn how your business can create brand loyalty, communicate sensitivity, and avoid boycotts and media nightmares resulting from offensive or insensitive business practices and stereotypes.

I read this book and we used the techniques she describes to put on our annual Fourth of July Benefit. We run an aid program locally (Idaho) for kids in trouble.

Our Fourth of July Fireworks Picnic/Yard Sale/Auction is our one big party and event fundraiser. She spells it all out -- preparations, materials, guidance lists, necessary schedule preparation, approaching potential donors, securing materials for our auction (silent and open bid), getting donated food and drink so that the entry price goes entirely to the charity.

First rate book! Very helpful and filled with useful ideas and suggestions.

Vernon Grant, 1902-1990, illustrated advertisements and booklets given out as premiums by food companies. His most famous creations were the Snap, Crackle, Pop characters to promote Kellogg's Rice Krispies. I am 60 years old and grew up loving a booklet called Flibbedty Gibbet because the illustrations in this little story (given out to promote a custard) were so delightful. This week, while browsing through Mother Goose books at a local book store to buy a gift for a friend's child, I found this gem! Not only was I delighted by the thoughtful biography of Grant which appears at the end of the book, I was impressed that his illustrations are as wonderful today as they were years ago when my mother would read me the only Vernon Grant illustrated book I had. That little booklet also delighted my children who are now both in their 30s. I am ordering a copy of this for each of them. My son owns my Flibbedty Gibbet book so he can add this Mother Goose to his stock of collectibles. One last word for contemporary buyers: Grant's illustrations are vastly superior to any of the other Mother Goose books through which I browsed. The colors are vivid, the characters sweet and appealing, and, most importantly, imaginative. The price is right but, my only criticism: this book should have been at least three times longer! I'd pay more to see more of Grant's wonderful work!