GAMEKIDS, international natural play webmagazine and club highly recommends this book to our members. The book features some of the best games for children of all ages to play. The book contains some of the classics - many of which children today perhaps have never heard of (i.e. kick the can, run sheep run, horse, etc.)

There are over 200 games: outside games, car games, card games, singing games and campfire songs, and some of the best party games we've seen!

This is truely a classic which every family, school, and library should have!

What a precious book. From the day I read about it in the paper, I was interested. Several of my friends look for ways to entertain our kids at their birthday parties. This book itself is a birthday parthday theme. I ordered two just from reading the review in the paper. I just received them today. I have read it and are now at the computer ordering more for several kids birthday's. Kids spend to much time watching games on TV and not enough time playing them. The book encourages family time, too. You can tell it was written from her heart with the true love for children and their happiness. Thank you for writing this book!

I personally know Sharon O'Bryan and have read her book. This is a great, back to the basics, approach to FUN!!! Its educational, fair and most of all FUN!!! I would suggest this book to anyone involved with children, whether it be ina school, daycare, or camp type setting.

This book makes counting a delight. The illustrations are colorful and it tells a story of friendship between the ant and the bee. I have owned this book since 1978 and read it to my son. I like the fact that the numbers are displayed plainly so that children can count along with the story.

I was originally bought this book by my parents when I was between six and seven years old back in 1972. By sheer fluke I found it, along with 2 others at the bottom of an old toy box. I now read it to my two sons , Michael (age 3) and Oliver (age 2), who are captivated by it.

I got my first Ant and Bee book for my son on a recommendation from a nursery school teacher from the Bank Street School. My son is not quite two years old, and already follows the pictures and words in these classic books with glee. And because they are just his size, in bright colors, he especially likes to carry them with him when we travel. He likes pointing out characters like the Zoo Man and the Kind Dog, and of course, Ant and Bee. Most interesting about these books is that the text itself is fun for children to look at. Key words are highlighted with varying fonts and colors, and sections are sprinkled with minature versions of pictures from larger illustrations. In One Two Three... Bee takes care of Ant after a bad fall. We count the groceries Ant dropped, and all the treats he gets from visiting friends as he gets well. Each book has its own special twist with familiar objects. I recommend the entire series. It's too bad these are hard to find. They! are wonderful. If Amazon can get them for you, it will be worth any wait!

Fowler's guide is too British. Merriam-Webster's guide is much too descriptive and seeks the low ground too often. Garner strikes just the right balance between descriptive (what most people actually say in common practice) and prescriptive (what good usage should be). The result is that his guidance is high toned without being stuffy. He also gives excellent counsel on proper pronunciation of words that confuse many. This is also fun to read!

Having used Garners other titles, e.g., A dictionary of modern legal usage, I thought that this title, i.e.,The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style by Bryan A. Garner, would be just as good. To my utter suprise I was right. Once again Garner (just like he did with legal usage and style )is able to help people with usage and style of American English. For instance what is the singular of paprazzi and what is the correct pronounciation of concierge or schism?.

This book, which is a concise edition of the Oxford Dictionary of American Usage, is highly accessible. Smaller in size than its parent, this dictionary retains the wit and character of the longer work, which has been highly acclaimed, yet does so in a portable format. This dictionary should be particularly useful to students and others needing a guide to current usage in a portable format.

The book is a refreshing approach that combines gardening and natural history. I like the balance. A useful guide but also a good read on its own. The best part is having a book written about the prairies by authors who garden on the prairies. Too many books miss the mark for our region but this one is on target for the insect questions I've had. I hope more garden writers in our region pick up the torch as this book does.

It's great to find a book that is actually of practical use. I like the mix of gardening info and Nature info. I've already identified a few critters in the garden and figured out which ones (there was only one) to keep an eye on for problems. The illustrations are top-notch. I like books that aren't dumbed-down but the average gardener can still use. I hope there are more books written by people who garden in our climate and don't just rehash info that is more relevant to warmer zones.

Everyone who gardens, especially those who live in the prairies of Canada or the Northern USA, should read this book!

It not only has great information about entomology and the individual bugs but also details about how to live with them. The illustrations are wonderful too!

As a teacher, I suggest that it would make an excellent resource for school libraries as well because it's not only dry facts but is written in a manner that is easy and fun to read.

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Bryan Garman's book provides an indepth study of those singer-songwriters who, according to the author, follow in Whitman's footsteps. He analyzes Woody Guthrie and Springsteen's work thoroughly. The consideration of Guthrie's "hurt song" is fascinating. The author also makes a good case for expanding our horizons beyond the white male heterosexual dominant order. I was rather taken aback to learn that some of my old favorite English folk club singalong songs smacked of homoeroticism. In particular, we are told that Tom Paxton's "Rambling Boy" is "a love song that contains and expresses a homoeroticism that permeated the work of socially engaged artists from Whitman to Traubel, Hughes to Guthrie" (p 159). Gosh, I wonder what Paxton would say about that! I agree with Mr. Garman, however, that much of this New Left rhetoric marginalizes women. That is why folks like Ani Di Franco seem far more engaging and even revolutionary than Springsteen. A Race of Singers has proved an invaluable book for me as I prepare my PhD dissertation at a Spanish university. I recommend it to anyone studying contemporary folk music and its place in recent history.

Garman's analysis of Springsteen, Dylan, Guthrie, and Whitman is very provocative. Especially his insights into Springsteen and the way in which his music played off against (or was interpreted as being in sync with) Reagan's politics, and pop culture in the 80s, such as Rambo. Definitely a worthwhile read for someone who considers her or himself a fan of any of the aforementioned singers, or someone interested in an in-depth analysis of the politics of these singers.

As a cultural figure of the late 20th century Bruce Springsteen has long been admired as well as the object of derision in some circles. Garman's work places Springsteen in a context far removed from the fickle nature of fame. By linking Springsteen with Guthrie and with Whitman Garman allows us to appreciate Springsteen as far more than his icon status as "the boss", but rather as the latest in a long line of cultural critics who allow us to "hold a mirror up to nature" as Shakespeare had Hamlet say long ago. Garman's book is not just for an admirer of Springsteen, but also for anyone with an appreciation for social commentary and its long rich history in the US.

If you ask the average person to name as many sharks as they can, they might come up with about 15. This book has a lot more. It has an entry for every shark that can be found off the shores of North America, and because sharks are wide ranging animals, this means most of the sharks in the world. Castro, a scientist for the National Marine Fisheries Department, starts off with a very well done introduction to sharks in general. Then there is a dichotomous key to family and to species for all species covered. The write up on each species has a line drawing in profile and of the teeth. Aside from ID information there is a plethora of useful biological info that is hard to find in any one source for all species. This includes litter size, pup size and frequently age and size at maturity. If you have an interest in the natural history of marine animals, this book is a must have.

I found this to be an excellent reference book. It is an easy read and presents taxonomic information in a way that everyone can grasp. Information provided for each shark species includes facts about the species biology and relation to man - information most field guides gloss over. As a marine biologist, I have found this book invauable.

If you love your sharks, this is the book you need to get. It has a well-written introduction, a very nice classification system to help you identify that shark you saw last week while diving, and in-depth descriptions of just about every shark prevalent in these waters. I would have liked to see more color photos of the sharks, but that's just picking at nits. This book will be a well-read part of your reference library for years to come.

The artwork captures the artists love for the area and gives a visitor this insight. I find myself transported every time I look at my book.

I live in Carmel and know the artist. It is a "must have" souvenir and useful guide to this lovely place.

Of all the books on the Monterey Peninsula that we have seen over the years, your is the most unique documentary of the area presented in such fun- filled and a beautiful format.

R.denzil Lee,AIA

TAVERN AT THE EDGE OF NOWHERE is not what you expect -- it's a lot more. It's funny. Not just amusing funny, or chuckle funny, but sometimes laugh out loud funny. It's thought-provoking. It's everything you look for and more. It's not for everyone, mind you. You have to read for more than just passing the time. But if what you read matters, this is a good book to pick up.

The Tavern At The Edge Of Nowhere is a time travel story full of original ideas. On the journey there is romance, plenty of laughs and some ‘darker’ moments. New concepts are introduced and old ones bent out of shape. It is the rather unusual story of Tony Wheelbough. In extreme depression after the death of his girlfriend, he disappears off into the Scottish mountains. The intent is suicide. Instead, he gets VERY drunk, and meets a weirdo with a time machine. Tony ends up at the Edge Of Nowhere, where he is ‘persuaded’ to become the barman at The Tavern. Once there, he quickly discovers that the patrons can be more that just a little bit ‘unusual’. Read an unusual detective story in ‘Love, Death And An American Car’. Contemporary horror as you read of the serial killer known only as ‘The Jawman’. All this and more in something that flows as smooth a honey off a warm spoon. Individual sub-plots fitting seamlessly into the frame that is The Tavern At The Edge Of Nowhere. Several folk have compared the writing style to Douglas Adams (which is unintentional) and this book has won the April 2001 Book Of The Month award at BookNet .... Trust me, you will enjoy it! ....

This is a time travel story with a difference. It is interesting and funny. A remarkable novel of considerable entertainment value. Mr Joyce's sence of humor is distinctly warped. My only complaint is that the book is a little on the short side. Even so, this is one for the serious collector as I can see a bright future for this author. The story really rolls. Never a dull moment. Would make an excellent movie. I wish the author luck, but hope that his next book is a bit longer.

One of the instrumental pieces of postmodern American literature. Alaspa uses the pen as his canvas and his language as Picasso. To find his match, one must consider Hemingway and Dickens. Keep up the good work, fine lad.

What a splendid piece of post modern American literature. One was regard Hemingway and Dickens to compare the works of this young genius.

This book is unlike anything I have read. The characters are richly detailed, and you get to know them so well. You find yourself caring about them, living and dying with them. This is listed as a mystery, but it is much much more than just a murder mystery. I hope Mr. Alaspa is around for a long long time.

For new teachers going into elementary school, this book is filled with good ideas and helpful advice. However, much of the writing is based on elementary students only. Most of the ideas would be considered too childish to use with middle or high school students. Also, many of the advice is clearly for elementary only (rewards for lining up in the hallway, giving students hugs, procedures for borrowing crayons, etc.) Looking at secondary teaching, I found this book disappointing.

As a newer teacher in Middle America, I found this compact book to be an extremely worthwhile investment of my time and money. This book has lots of examples and advice to handle those non-education scenarios that often "make or break" a new teacher. Great tips on dealing with other staff (not all will be helpful!), parents etc. This is a book that will help all teachers, especially newer ones like myself, thrive and survive. Buy it. Read it. Its worth it (as is First Days of School by Mary Wang).

As a preservice teacher, I have researched several dozen books of this nature, and I found this one to be the best. It is a compact size (for tucking into my book-bag or purse), and it has hundreds of real-world teaching tips, scenarios and situations for consideration. There's solid information on gaining insight into youself as a person and as a teacher, and down-to-earth and sensible information on how to be successful in the classroom from the start. I got a huge charge of self-confidence from reading this book.