I've read and re-read these poems. At times it is as if Ms. Ransom knows my feelings and her writings speak directly to my thoughts. One of the most beautiful things about her poetry is that it allows the reader to be involved in the work; letting one share in the richness of her words. For casual fans and lovers of poetry, this book is for you.

The words flow off the page and into my soul. The experiences are mine, because I've been there too. A muse to be reflected upon for inspiration and building pride in being a Black Woman. As a Counselor, I can use Ms. Ransom's work with my clients as an example of how to put your soul's experiences into words for healing and reflection.

It was such a pleasure reading this book of poetry. I greeted each page with warm anticipation. It was like seeing my childhood flash before my eyes. There seems to be such a great sense of warmth and sincerity running throughout the book. It's as if the author stood naked in front of the world sharing a little bit of herself with her readers. I only wish that there was more material available. I await her next piece. Great job! Very well done.

Thirteen is my favorite book of all times. I have had it sinceit was published in 1975 and it has moved with me for 25 years and 11moves! I have thought to streamline my life and get rid of some things, but this book is a necessity in my household! It inspires and comforts--it is a work of art!

My father gave me this book when I was ten (the year it was published) and it has been my most treasured childhood book since...into adulthood. Through countless moves, without conscious effort, this book has stayed with me, and always delights me each time I open it. It is always relevant in it's irrelevance...you will see. Now that I have a child and neices, etc. I have been trying to find it to give to others...I am amazed to discover through reading other accounts at Amazon that this "unknown" little gem has had such impact on other readers. If you can find it, hesitate not a moment - buy it and share it.

This picture book may be the cleverest ever created. "Thirteen" is 13 stories told simultaneously on 13 pages, each story told by pictures which change and evolve as you turn the pages. Many of the stories are circular or contain hidden surprises.

This is the book that I have given most often as a gift, not only to kids but also adults, who may enjoy it even more than kids!

To a collector of Scholastic's late, lamented young adult historical romances, the tale of Kathleen is the "holy grail". Is it worth it? Not as moving as Emily but it features so much more than your typical Sunfire. Kathleen watches her world crumble around her - sometimes, literally. She loses her home, her family, and finds herself alone in an 1840's Boston that is none to friendly to the Irish. Kathleen finds work at the grand Thornley mansion, and meets David... but while the ending seems too pat, too easy in those last two pages the journey there is just as vivid - Ransom's gift for painting images of a long-ago time and place is just as strong here as it was in Emily, Susannah and Amanda. Hint for hunters: their large size would often mean that the first 15 Sunfires are often incorrectly stuck in the regular romance, not children's, section at many a used bookstore. Just a tip!

I read this book when it was first published in 1985. I seem to recall that my mother bought it for me when I cleaned up my room! The Sunfire series is excellent. This book, Kathleen by Candice F. Ransom, is rich in history and very informative about the Irish working class in America in the late 1840's. Kathleen is a heroine who had to overcome great odds to come to America, only to find life just as hard. I recommend this book to any young girl who is interested in a time gone by. I have saved all 32 Sunfires books published for my own two little girls.

I love this book because it shows poverty and wealth in all aspects. Kathleen is so strong and brave it makes me think, a girl who has lost almost all and still has hope. From famine in Ireland to hope in America, Kathleen shows how a very special girl survives to many things. I checked it out of my school library thinking maybe I didn't like it, but I absolutely loved it! I recommend it to EVERYONE who is 12 and up.

This book by Jackie Ransom was my favorite choice when looking for a book on Bichons. I first borrowed it, along with other books, from a local library. I liked it because it was the newest book that I found, and it also had many great pictures, including a section that shows how to bathe, comb out, and properly trim a Bichon. I also learned alot about breeding, and the birth process. The only thing in the book that I don't think that I agree with is on page 96. It starts out "Dogs do not understand words", and refers to using different tones of voice for praise and reprimanding. Overall though, the section on training was good, and also the chapter on health care and possible diseases was enlightening. Of all of the books I have seen, this one is my favorite by far. The biggest reason I purchased the book was the colored picture section on how to bathe, comb, and trim, with step-by-step instructions. It's a winner!!!!

Jackie Ransom is always a pleasure to read. She writes in a straightforward way, easy to follow and without any of those flowery phrases so beloved by some writers but which so often are meaningless. And this is certainly true of her latest book THE BICHON FRISE TODAY. Her chapter on the history of the breed will interest all lovers of the Barbichon group of breeds-the Maltese, Bolognese, Havenese, Coton du Tulear and Lowchen, as well as the Bichon. Another highlight of the book for me was the comparison of the British, American and FCI Standards, which is well laid out and helped by some very good drawings. In this chapter is also given the breed's first standard in French, which was published in 1935 as part of an article in a magazine called L`Eleveur and headed "Bichons, Maltais, Havanais et Cie". I found this fascinating. Explicit pictures also add greatly to the chapter on grooming and show presentation. Today the badly presented Bichon does not stand much success in the show ring so this should be invaluable to the beginner and also help those who are just missing that little expertise to get to the top. There is in addition a very full explanation of the various show systems and I particularly note that show training, obedience, agility and juniors are not forgotten. In this section I love the pictures of Am. Ch./OT Ch. Sea Star's Sandpiper UDX. NA in action. Apparently in his spare time he was also a licensed and working therapy dog, one of a very few allowed to work with paralysed and comatose patients. S there are a lot of roles for our Bichon to play, apart from the devoted pet and fun dog. Mrs Ransom covers all aspects of owning Bichons, including the thoughts that must go into breeding. She takes us carefully through the whelping and rearing of puppies, while there is also an important chapter on health care and hereditary diseases by vet Trevor Turner. Barbara Stubbs has contributed an interesting chapter on the Bichon in the US and then Mrs Ransom covers the show scene in Britain and other countries. There is also a valuable glossary of terms and list of abbreviations and a bibliography. The book is profusely illustrated with pictures of top winning and producing Bichons world-wide and in all is a publication which no Bichon lover anywhere will want to miss. Mrs Ransom, who introduced the breed to the British show ring and was the founder, first president and secretary of the Bichon Frisé Club of Great Britain, has done a great deal for her breed, and this book will I am sure be a prime focal point of her work.

Jackie Ransom is always a pleasure to read. She writes in a straightforward way, easy to follow and without any of those flowery phrases so beloved by some writers but which so often are meaningless. And this is certainly true of her latest book THE BICHON FRISE TODAY. Her chapter on the history of the breed will interest all lovers of the Barbichon group of breeds-the Maltese, Bolognese, Havenese, Coton du Tulear and Lowchen, as well as the Bichon. Another highlight of the book for me was the comparison of the British, American and FCI Standards, which is well laid out and helped by some very good drawings. In this chapter is also given the breed's first standard in French, which was published in 1935 as part of an article in a magazine called L`Eleveur and headed "Bichons, Maltais, Havanais et Cie". I found this fascinating. Explicit pictures also add greatly to the chapter on grooming and show presentation. Today the badly presented Bichon does not stand much success in the show ring so this should be invaluable to the beginner and also help those who are just missing that little expertise to get to the top. There is in addition a very full explanation of the various show systems and I particularly note that show training, obedience, agility and juniors are not forgotten. In this section I love the pictures of Am. Ch./OT Ch. Sea Star's Sandpiper UDX. NA in action. Apparently in his spare time he was also a licensed and working therapy dog, one of a very few allowed to work with paralysed and comatose patients. S there are a lot of roles for our Bichon to play, apart from the devoted pet and fun dog. Mrs Ransom covers all aspects of owning Bichons, including the thoughts that must go into breeding. She takes us carefully through the whelping and rearing of puppies, while there is also an important chapter on health care and hereditary diseases by vet Trevor Turner. Barbara Stubbs has contributed an interesting chapter on the Bichon in the US and then Mrs Ransom covers the show scene in Britain and other countries. There is also a valuable glossary of terms and list of abbreviations and a bibliography. The book is profusely illustrated with pictures of top winning and producing Bichons world-wide and in all is a publication which no Bichon lover anywhere will want to miss. Mrs Ransom, who introduced the breed to the British show ring and was the founder, first president and secretary of the Bichon Frisé Club of Great Britain, has done a great deal for her breed, and this book will I am sure be a prime focal point of her work.

This is truly a wonderful book!
This story is told by the little girl who is going to town with her mother for the morning.
She has a big green pocketbook, just like Mama's, but hers is empty and she can't find anything to put inside it.
Mama says "hurry", because the bus is coming, so the little girl brings her empty pocketbook along anyway.
During the course of the morning, she gathers many treasures and by the time the bus comes to return the girl and her mother home, her pocketbook is full.

The little girl's view of the world is refreshing and enchanting~
She observes that the cool marble walls in the bank smell like pennies~ And she is amazed that, at the drycleaners, the machine knows exactly where to stop for mama's suit.
This is a delightful book that moms and daughters will enjoy, but both boys and girls will like hearing it, and seeing the usual best from Candice Ransom and Felicia Bond's awesome pictures.

My 22 month old daughter loves to read this book with me! i think she likes that the main character is a big girl and she's spending the day with her mom- something my little one can really relate to!

This is a wonderful book for mothers to read to or with their daughters. A simple day of errands turns into something magical between them and a hand-me-down green pocketbook holds the key to a delightful day.

Despite the image on the back cover, Susannah isn't Scarlett. She's a resiliant, strong girl who doesn't wallow in melodrama. War is not romanticized in this book - not only is the loss of life unflinchingly told, but the terrible price that those on the homefront faced - poverty, starvation, and a generally unsettled life. But this isn't a grim story, because of the romance between Susannah and Caine, a Union soldier, offers such hope and promise. When I was fifteen I was half in love with Caine myself... the ending is a compromise and feels realisitic - Susannah realizes that the home of her childhood is gone forever. A moving story of the Civil War, a wonderful romance, all told in Ransom's usual descriptive style. Ms. Ransom, I believe, makes her home in Virginia, and her love for the area is reflected in Susannah.

I have to say that i really enjoyed reading this book. Susannah is the tale of love during a time of war. She not only watches the battles on the field, but also must face the battle in her heart. Caine is just what every woman wants :) Its too bad this story is out of print, if you get a hold of a copy keep it. Share it with your daughters, your friends, any woman who loves a story about love, war and being swept off of her feet.

I read this a long time ago, but I still remember it. It was such an interesting story, with characters you wish you were friends with. I think it touched my heart so much because I would love to meet a man like Caine Harding--he is my dream man. :)This was a book that I wish had a sequel, because I would love to find out what happened to Susannah and her family, and what Caine's and Susannah's life was like in the West. It really is too bad that this book and books like it are out of print; it is a great introduction to history, and a wonderful series (I read every single one throughout middle and high school, but this one has to be my favorite).

if it were anyone else it would be five stars. not quite as intricate or as evolved as dune but just as enjoyable. highly imaginitve at any rate. we do see recurring themes in his work though. the ideas of religion as a human nessicity and the struugle for surrvival against enviroment. all set to a intelligent and imaginitive sci fi background.

Unlike Dune, this series has been out of print for some time. Shame! No one does it better than Herbert but Dune-Mania has left too much of his best work unread and unknown. Dune was a masterpiece, no question. But the series devolved into action novels - the work of creating his universe did not have to be re-done so the rest was just what happens next (and as Brian continues the series, what happened before). The Voidship series is different. Beginning with Destination: Void, which establishes the premise, each novel must reestablish the world in which it is set. Each set of characters has very new hurdles and new forms of intelligent life(? at least self-awareness) to deal with, each with their own world view. A good marketing bet would be to reintroduce these novels in paperback, capitalizing on the popularity of the Dune series. Let the new generation of sf readers discover the other worlds of Frank Herbert. This review refers to the series - Destination: Void, The Jesus Incident, The Lazarus Effect, and The Ascension Factor

This book has all of Dune's intricacy of plot and character development but is a far more concise and elegant presentation. It's actually a sequel to Destination:Void, which I found to be interesting but definitely one of his lesser works. Subsequent books along this story line are pretty good too. I highly recommend that you read this book when you have time to finish it fairly quickly. Otherwise, you'll lose track of the characters and their individual plot lines. I once read through the entire SF section of a library (4 books a week for 2 years, ~400+ books) and this book is my favorite SF book.

I've enjoyed reading all the customer comments on the Sunfireromances; I have fond memories of being enthralled with them when Iwas a teenager and rushing to the bookstore everytime I got my allowance to see if a new one had come out. EMILY was my favorite (also I think one of the last ones published in the longer format), particularly for its detailed description of life among the upper classes in turn of the century NY. Some publisher really should bring these back into print, or expand upon the series - it was a great tool for training young readers to be devoted fans of paperback romances. EMILY is particularly timely now - it talks all about the concerns people had when 1899 became 1900!

Emily was my favorite book as a child. It taught me a lot about the history of women in medicine and since it describes the dawn of the 20th century, it is especially relevant now, as we face the dawn of the 21st century.

Emily is a love story. A young debutante falls in love with a poor medical student and, at the same time, with the world of medicine. Much to her family's shock and horror, she begins to work at a hospital as a nurses assistant.

The story is delightfully readably, and yet it discusses complex themes such as romance between people of different class backgrounds, the role of women in medicine, coming of age, confilcts with one's parents and with one's social background, discovering one's professional calling in life and following it in spite of obstacles and falling in love for the first time.

The Sunfire series was a wonderfull series. It gave me an overview of history that helped me later in school. Even as an adult, I still think back on the Sunfire series as a valuable influence. They give an honest, subtly feminist perspective. Educational without being dull -- historical but still modern and easy to relate to. Someone should bring them back!

Emily is a millionaire who falls in love with a medical student. He inspires her to become a nurse but her hopes are dashed when her parents return from Europe and threaten to send her to Boarding School. Emily tries to go to the hospital but is caught every time. Can Emily seek the career of her choice and can the man she loves love her? Bring back the Sunfire Romances!!!

In a glut of vain Valley girls, the Kobie Roberts series (and Thirteen in particular) are a refreshing alternative. I loved these books as a kid- and they still hold up years later. Set in '60s suburban Virginia, they chronicle the teen years of Kobie Roberts and her best pal Gretchen. Moody, sarcastic and smart, Kobie is a terrific creation. I too am holding onto these books for my kids.

This book is one of my all-time favorites. Kobie is just so REAL!! I saw so much of myself in her. It even took place in the county I live in. The book was poignant at times, hilarious at others. I have read and re-read it many times over. "Fourteen and Holding" and "Fifteen at Last" are also great. I only wish the series had continued into sixteen and seventeen and beyond...

The "Kobie" series by Candice Ransom is one that I have enjoyed for almost 15 years. All the books in this series are funny and smart, far from condescending to the young reader, and yet still manage to retain their entertainment value to an adult. I am currently in the process of collecting all of them for my future daughter, and would recommend them to any young reader or parent.

Some books get to the heart of things. "I Don't Want to Talk about It" is one of them. I could say that it's a skillful psychological examination of the feelings a girl experiences when her parents announce that they plan to divorce. That would be true. But this girl expresses real emotions in ways a kid can completely understand with gobbling crocodiles and prickly porcupines. The animal metaphors make room for energetic pictures by Kathryn Kunz Finney. The lively text and illustrations raise this book head and shoulders above the standard divorce books.

The text covers the issue of divorce excellently. The "Note to Parents" at the end of the book is a wonderful tool for parents considering divorce or at at any stage of the process. This book is a "must have" for helping children sort through divorce issues AND it is SO MUCH MORE! Less abstract than 'My Many Colored Days' by Dr. Suess, this book is very effective! Through the use of animal imagery 'I Don't Want to Talk About It' covers the range of emotion a child might feel during ANY transitional time. As Director of Children's Ministry, I have used it to open discussion with assorted ages of children dealing with various issues. The kids compare their feelings or situation with the girl in the book. In my book 'I Don't Want to Talk About It' transcends the ages, the issues, and is a lot to talk about.

Children have a hard enough time dealing with their parents' divorce without getting patronizing advice from grownups who think they know better. This book speaks to children on their level, and gives them a chance to realize that although their lives will change, their parents' love for them will not. Children need to know that the things they count on the most will always be there, and this book helps reassure them that they will be OK despite what's going on with mom and dad.