We're reading this book in school and it's one of the best books I've ever read! Lauren and Tara face the problems that a normal girl my age faces everyday. The DWDWDM (Don't You Wish You Were Me)girls are like other people we know and you get the picture! Todd Strasser visited my school last week and he is now my favorite writer!

Even English professors often admit they wouldn't read James if they didn't have to. The Spoils of Poynton, however, is an enjoyable and easy read. 20th century readers prefer a plot that flies by and, thus, aren't often interested with the snail paced action of James' psychological dramas. However, James' intricate and subtle method, his ceaseless asides, are well worth working through. "Spoils" is a great introduction to James' work because it displays his talents (particularly, his character interaction is intriguing) with rare brevity (184 p).

This is a great book for system admins. I've noticed in my reviews of other popular WinXP books that they spend a lot of time telling you how to work the right mouse button, and what a "window" is. This book takes the tech perspective, and has a ton of tips, tricks and secrets you won't find in the other books. As the editor of the largest Windows XP newsletter out there, ... , I give this book a "two fat thumbs up". It doesn't get much better than that!

Dan Costley is one of my instructors and this book is awesome at conveying the concepts and key terms without confusing the reader.

We introduced this book as we moved our 2 1/2 yr old to his new room and it helped him understand that noises are not to be afraid of. It helps kids connect a picture of something non-scary with noises they hear instead of reacting with fear. He loves it and we read it nightly for now.

Todd Aaron Smith hits a home run with this book! He is a expressionable author and illustrator who truly reaches out to children about trusting God. "Cow" is a delightful character who, like many of us, strays from the path she walks. As she strays off, she meets up with someone and decides to put her trust in her "new found" friend, only to wind up in serious trouble. Her new friend has disappeared when Cow finds herself in danger. However, her trustworthy keeper, the farmer, rescues here before danger strikes. This books speaks to us about trusting God and the truth that he is always by our side, even when we "walk off the path" of life. An unusual illustration of hilarioius animation and traditional design are brilliant. This book will truly be enjoyed by both preschoolers and adults alike.

This book shows Florida at its natural best, with an insider's look at some of the state's most beautiful waterways. As a Florida native, I found the book especially enjoyable - as it shows images of things that are disappearing all too fast. Even those who have never seen sights such as those Bertolaet reveals will enjoy the beauty of his photographs. The images draw the viewer into each scene, and it's easy to imagine the call of birds, whisper of the wind through branches or the murmur of water moving swiftly past. The writing is entertaining and easy to read, while also offering food for thought about the natural world and man's relationship to it.

... This book is a simple book, it doesn't have a lot of highly technical words that you have to have a BA or maybe a PhD to understand. No the average Joe or Jane can pick up this book, read it, and realize how much God loves us, how much God strives to open our eyes to the salvation and redemption he offers us by sending His Son to the Cross to die for us.

I would highly suggest that you the reader of this review get this book. It is not expensive, BUT it will give you so much help and ease whatever pains that you have inside. I know it has helped me with much of mine.

Our nation breathed a collective sigh of relief when The Paris Peace Accord was signed in 1973. It was supposed to be the end of the Vietnam War. As we would learn 2 years later, it was not. Olivier Todd originally covered the war from 1965-1973. After the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, he decided it was time to summarize the final days of the conflict. His book covers the infamous 4-month period from January to April in 1975 and the total collapse of South Vietnam. In reading this book, it is quite obvious he invested a great deal of time into interviews and research. The book not only reviews the final days but also raises many questions about the events surrounding them. The reader will find himself mixing memories with those questions in every chapter.

The eighth installment of Todd's fine murder mystery series has Claudia running for the island of Cressia, to the villa of Leo Orbilio, cousin of Marcus, before she gets either convicted or murdered for blatant horse doping. During a period of a week an assortment of characters, including the unctuous Shamshi, the perfectionist Nikias, the aging Volcar, the 'ice queen' Silvia, the enigmatic Clio, the somewhat 'artistic' Saunio and a somewhat innocent dolphin flow through the villa which is undergoing an expensive refurbishment that is being financed by several people (We do see a way out for Claudia's perpetual financial difficulty with a chance for her to increase her famous Seferius wine yield in later novels)
The murders of Saunio's assistant Bulio and then Leo coupled with Todd's ensurement that every other character (save Drusilla the cat and the dolphin) has a motive to commit the deed, intermingled with a heavily-threaded plot line touching on the mythology of Jason, Medea and Circe, means that, unlike the previous Dream Boat, it is not quite so simple to make an educated guess as to the villain(s). Another technique that Todd has introduced over the recent additions to the series is a setup of periodic mini-chapters where we can glean an anonymous insight to the mind of the murderer(s). In this case it is very 'mythical' and it is, perhaps, a little laboured as the soliloquies lend themselves an almost supernatural evil air which doesn't quite fit with the period.
Nevertheless, Claudia rips through the entire bunch, (she always manages to get knocked out in the process of most of her investigations), captured by pirates and eventually Marcus has to turn up to help. The continuing fencing between the pair is mildly frustrating and you begin to hope their relationship might develop further over future novels.
It is Claudia's first trip outside Italy, albeit not very far from the province of Illyricum, and she moves neatly. The nature of this latifundia setting echoes Saylor's Arm of Nemesis, but retaining the culprits within a localized geographical area gives a chance for typical murder mystery characterization to develop and this becomes a tautly focused whodunnit.
I must confess I hope Marilyn Todd keeps writing about her delightful heroine for many years to come.