This is a delightful book for children of all ages. I'm a grandmother, and I loved it. I passed it on to my grandchiuldren and they loved it.

Because it's done as a CD-ROM, there's an added touch of magic to it. Let's face it. This is the computer age, and being able to read a book on the computer screen is the "NOW" way of doing things, especially if you're a child.

As I crossed the Sunny Meadow and entered the Shady Woods with Caroline and Grandmother Elizabeth, I knew - I just knew - there were adventures coming, and I wasn't wrong. Adventure after adventure after adventure with daring Bluebell and her fairy friends.

Margaret Hamill has written a story that appeals to the child in all of us, that child who has always wanted to believe in magic and the little folk.

Delightful drawings and gentle music all add to the beauty of the book. when You've finsihed reading it, you'll feel like you've danced with the fairies and been caught in a shower of Fairy Dust from Bluebell's magic (and often lost) wand!

In this book, Spilled Fairy Dust, Bluebell's Adventures in the Shady Woods, I introduce you to Bluebell, a tiny flower fairy with an 'attitude'. She is not your conventional flower fairy, flitting happily from blossom to blossom, sipping nectar, and nourishing the flowers. Bluebell likes adventure. She craves excitement, and she goes to look for it. She often gets herself into trouble and has to call on her animal and human friends to help her out. If you have never seen a fairy I'm sure Bluebell would tell you, "Well, we're here. If you can't see us, it's because you don't believe in fairies." Bluebell has been a member of our 'extended' family for many years. My older sister introduced her to us over forty years ago when she jotted down a few short stories and tucked them away in a drawer. The stories were given to me after my sister passed away. They lay in a box for years, and finally, when I pulled them out a couple years ago, Bluebell roused from her sleep, shook her magic wand at me, and muttered, "It's about time! I've been closed up in this box for much too long. I'm going out to find an adventure." And away she flew. When she returned she told me everything that happened, and I have written it down for today's children. The CD-ROM format is perfect for this little book. Children who want read a book alone can click on the difficult words in this story and a gentle voice will say the word for them. If they are ready for a short nap at the end of a chapter, a soft lullaby is played by clicking on a picture of a rose. The beautiful illustrations for each major scene were painted by J.S.Felt. This is a book children can keep on their shelf and go back to at any time to read without adult supervision. They can take it to school and share it with their classmates during 'computer time'.

Now in a revised and updated edition, The Survival Guide For Kids With LD* (*Learning Differences) by University of Nevada-Reno professors Gary Fisher and Rhoda Cummings, is a simply presented and easily accessible guide written especially for those dealing with children who have "learning differences". Emphasizing that having one of the many kinds of learning disabilities or cognitive restrictions doesn't preclude a child from learning, from having friends, or from growing up to be a successful adult. The readable prose is packed with tips for dealing with teasing, providing encouragement, simple black-and-white artwork, study tips, and more. The Survival Guide For Kids With LD* is highly recommended reading for parents, teachers, tutors, day-care staff members, -- and most especially, for kids ages 10 and up. Also highly recommended for teen readers is The Survival Guide For Teenagers With LD (0915793512; [$$$]); for parents, When Your Child Has LD (0915793873; [$$$]); and for educators, The School Survival Guide For Kids With LD (0915793326; [$$$]).

This book is a GREAT way for kids to learn about their own Learning Disabilities (the book calls them Learning Differences). I read this book to my son to help explain to him why he's noticing that he's different from some of the other kids in school. The book creates such a relaxed, non-threatening attitude about LDs, and asks some really great questions to help the kids see which LD(s) fit them. It addresses ADHD as well! It has picture drawings of kids having trouble in school that my son could really relate to! He was at once interested, urging me to read more and more, even though he was learning that he was in fact "different". What a wonderful tool for families and kids to learn about each other and themselves. It's a positive book about the harsh reality of LDs - and it's written specifically for kids! Do your child a favor - read this book with them! It will open up conversations and give you both the language and courage you'll need to tackle the days and years ahead!

This book dspelled many of my personal myths about public management. I purchased Tales from the Trenches as a reference for my Business Management class. I wanted to contrast private management with public management. I felt private management was more dynamaic and challenging. I now see that public managers, espcially at the local government level, are just as sophisticated and resourceful as their private counterparts. They also make the same type of blunders. The authors have done a great job in their selection of real life tales. I found
the manqagement advice they dispersed throughout the stories very useful. I also loved the cartoons which set the theme for each chapter.

Collaboratively written by former city managers Len Wood and Joe Baker, Tales From The Trenches: Achievements, Blunders And Challenges In Local Government Management is a grand collection of great achievements and ridiculous blunders in local government. Innovations, challenges, and good intentions that went horribly wrong, pack the pages of this involving and highly readable guide which is especially recommended reading for all voters, and which will provide particularly meaningful to those with a personal and/or professional interest in local politics.

Again, Miss Woods displays an intense understanding of human nature. Her writing continues to entertain and surprise me. Here, the suspenseful plot is complemented by the fast flow of the read and the array of interesting characters, each involved in their own stories.

Jason Kane, president of a network spots Callie Smith as an extra on one of his soaps. He finds her beautiful and has to meet her. Callie Smith only did that extra piece as a favor to Terry, leading man in the soap opera. The hunt is on to find her. When she is offered the job she refuses as she is a Wall Street broker, not an actress. She finally agrees to appear on this soap that is quickly losing ratings to help her friend Terry with problems he is having. I'm not giving anything away here as this is made known pretty early in the book and this is what the focus of this book is on. Callie's mother and sister also play a part here but are both bitter women. The back and forth banter between Callie and Jason is very amusing. Twilight, is the next book I plan to read as it is the story about Dana Miller, the private investigator in this book. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Whether you are a fan of Edgar Tolson's work or of woodcarving in general, this is an essential book to have if you are interested in folk art of the 20th century. The thorough research done on Edgar Tolson is fascinating and through his art and career the world of 20th century folk art is examined. From key folk art collectors to various museums and institutions, the 20th century folk art movement was created and sold to the buying public. By the time the "important" artists were established all of the "important" early work was already in the hands of a few collectors and the museums. It's no accident that Tolson's work ended up in a prestigious Whitney Biennial and his artwork sky-rocketed in price. The same with Howard Finster. By the time his work was presented as being important to the general public, a narrow group of collectors and critics had already hoarded the first few thousand of his numbered pieces which the critics then deemed as the most important of his career. And the story continues to this day with collectors / critics buying early key works, then recommending them to the general folk art buyers. This book is perhaps the best analysis of why and how a folk artist becomes "important" in the 20th century. It may or may not sour your view on 20th century folk art but is a great read either way. As with all art or decorative objects, if you just buy what you like and ignore the critics, you'll be happy. Who's to say 10, 20 or 50 years from now if anyone will even care about "20th century folk art."

Ms. Julia S. Ardey has put together an extraordinary work -- filled with stories and pictures of a poor Kentucky man who whittled stuff to which other folks took a liking. My grandfather Edgar Tolson will always remain an elusive character both in life and in death hard to explain and to understand. As all great artists he was not one dimensional. Ms. Ardey did a fine job of grasping enough bits and pieces of his life, through the eyes and hearts of those who knew him, to give a reasonable representation of who Edgar Tolson was and why he whittled. Ms. Ardey interviewed scores of people and personalities who all have their own opinion of Edgar Tolson the Man and Edgar Tolson the Woodcarver and the times in which he lived. Ms. Ardey managed a remarkable feat in compling those interviews into an a very good work. She included many pictures that give insight into an artisan and his art. Many pictures capture Edgar's soul in his eyes -- others show a family life of just real folks who just have a Daddy that whittles in the living room and lets the shavings fall to floor. As a granddaugther of Edgar Tolson, beloved Kentucky woodcarver, I am very pleased with the work Julia S. Ardery managed to put together on his life and extraordinary talent. With a family as large as he had I am sure that this book will be debated into generations, however, it is a real good starting point at which to kick off the debate of fact or fiction. The papaw I knew was a wonderful minister; he loved his God, knew his bible and had a passion for sharing the Biblical Truths of his God with others through his work. He managed to reach the very far corners of the earth with his renditions of Adam & Eve in Garden of Eden, Their Fall, and Noah's Ark among a few--how many ministers can stake that claim. He carved what was upon his heart to carve. He was discovered by others who marketed it to a world who craved his carvings and what they represented to them. I am so pleased that Ms. Ardery managed to compile so much ! of his life and work into this book. It makes for really good reading and gives the reader the opportunity to linger with story and photo's of Edgar Tolson and his artwork long enough to gain an understanding of why so many are so drawn to it, him and living upon this earth. Thank you Ms. Ardery for a job well done.

This is a very satisfying book... the author has interwoven the story of a 19th century arctic expedition with the modern-day mystery of a man obsessed with the "terrors of ice and darkness." The descriptions of the vast and desolate arctic landscapes are lyrical and moving; after an hour of reading, you may feel so pulled into this world of darkness and ice it is difficult to return ! A must read for any arctic history buff...

The Kirkus review does not do this book justice. It is quite good, especially for fans of historically accurate novels.

It's not easy to write a book, it's even harder to write the perfect book, but Caroline did it.

For years I've bought dozens and dozens of home, garden and crafts books. Some of them are really good books, most of them are just beautiful editions with magazine like editorial content, and the smallest part of them are composed by some really, really, marvellous books.

In my large collection of home and garden books I choose "Textile Style : The Art of Using Antique and Exotic Fabrics to Decorate Your Home" as my number one book, what means the best of the bests.

Since I bought it turned the most important among the others, the most read, the most manipulated, the most talked about.

So, I really recommend it!!!

The other books of Caroline are not pieces of art like "Textil Style" but they all show she's a very good home designer.

This is a fantastic design book. Beautifully photographed and organized in a sensible and intuitive way, anyone interested in design or textiles will love it. Most of the interiors pictured are in London, and there is a bias for that quirky British "more is more" style. So it you're looking for decorating inspiration for your minimalist home this book may not be very helpful. Otherwise, it's wonderful. I find myself referring to it again and again.

Annie Besant,as always,writes in clear,inspirational language. This book explains the need for self-mastery and how to achieve it through control of our thinking. A MUST for sincere spiritual seekers. This a book to read and re-read,so packed is it with true wisdom.

This book has been a favorite for twenty-five years. It's been around a long time but it's message is still relavent to out times.

There aren't too many picture books or stories for children that deal so well with the issues of grieving and healing and the questions about life after someone you love has died. This book gently tells, in story and fable, the healing words of how to carry on and what it is to live, and why we need to remember. Any parent or child old enough to understand death can take comfort and healing from this story. I wish I had a hundred copies of this to give to all of my friends who have lost someone. In the traditions of ANNIE AND THE OLD ONE, and THE TENTH GOOD THING ABOUT BARNEY this is another work that deals with death, life, and those who must deal with the questions that surround them.

I believe this book was incredibly well done. The story is great and the illustrations INCREDIBLE. Barry Moser did an incredible job with the illustrations. I really do recommend this book to everyone.

When I started reading [TIME OUT] I couldn't put it down. I lived every page; marveled at the descriptions of scenes, people, animals, foods, smells - a culture so different from out own. Lindley J. Stiles The book has an immediacy and anticipatory quality that is compelling. I started to read it and could hardly put it down. I burned the midnight oil tellling myself I'd quit after the next page. Anita Swetland Every word, line, page, and chapter drove me to the next. An exceptionally readable book. Richard Matlhare (Botswana)

Woods has simply served up her experience, no frills, no congratulations.. . . She paints a picture of the village which can be both beautiful and dark, not always the storybook pastels of the overly quixotic Peace Corps posters and recruiting office. . . . We are shown the frustrations of dealing with corrupt school officials, the witchdoctor-related murders for body parts, the unsuccessful attempt by a village woman to escape her drunken and bellicose husband (she was later found hanging in a tree) and Woods' own physical problems. There are the alarmingly dangerous bus rides with besotted drivers, deaths by snakebite, tuberculosis. We're shown the omnipresent racism of southern Africa when Woods' African colleague, Kele, is forced by a white Zimbabwean owner to leave his campground.. . .Woods' prose style is concise but not pithy, not unlike the "twenty-five words or less" she might have given her students, yet her twenty-five words work.