Now in a revised and expanded second edition, Grandloving: Making Memories With Your Grandchildren is more effective than ever as a compendium of tips, ideas and suggestions for grandparents to bond with their grandchildren. More than two hundred fun and easy activities drawn from 350 families are presented along with sound advice, helpful suggestions, and inexpensive do-together projects. Whether it something special for family holidays and celebrations, or just a rainy-day or weekend visit pastime, Grandloving will have everything you need to plan and implement a truly memory making event. Enthusiastically recommended for grandparents of any age or circumstance, Grandloving's engaging, "reader friendly" text is enhanced with reminders about child development, an extensive list of resources, helpful logos, and an easy-to-use index.

This book has great information for anyone who works with children ! Of course grandmothers are always looking for ideas and new things to do with grandchildren. Offering specific activities, as well as helpful information, this book is a MUST HAVE for any grandmother. It's also a PERFECT gift for any adult who has grandchildren.

This book covers the gamut when it comes to finding fun things to do with children. Because my new grandson is 800 miles away, I especially liked all of the long-distance grandparenting ideas. I would recommend it to anyone, mothers and fathers as well as grandparents.

My little girl is afraid of bugs. She loved this book--it introduced her to the idea that insects are interesting, and that it is okay to be really really excited about the world. A positive, funny and informative book.

My mom asked me to read it since she thought it was a great book. I did. And I like it. Amanda looks like any nerd in school, but she is actually really smart and cool.
She is smart because she knows everything about bugs, most of them in the story that I have never heard of. I would say she is an Einstein in the field of insects! I bet it takes a lot of hard work and a strong passion to be able to learn so much.
Amanda is cool too. Nobody tries to understand her. However, she never gives up her passion even though she often gets herself into troubles for it. That's what a real hero is about.
Well, I am glad that hero is not always lonely. At the end of the story, Amanda finally finds a bosom friend that shares the same passion with her. I like the happy ending!

I guess I am partial about liking this book. The reason is that I am the mother of the Amanda Frankenstein, whose name was used in this book. When the "real" Amanda was young, she too liked bugs. I thoroughly enjoy sharing this book with the students at my school where I teach. The students love the story and that my daughter's name is in the book. It is a special book to my family and I as well. Mrs. McDonald wrote a cute story showing how girls can like bugs and things of nature. She also showed how students can meet others who share similar likes.

Well reasearched, well written, a must read for anyone who really wants to know what it was like to be an infantryman in Vietnam. It is a straight-forward story - not sugar-coated. Chaplian Newby is to be commended for the time and effort that he has put into his books to insure he has the story as accurate as possible.

Nice job. Brings back a lot of memories ... names, faces and places. You forgot noone when you were with us (A/2/8 Cav). You reached out to everyone. Both books tell the real story of how we survived.

This book will be studied a hundred years from now as the only one of its kind: A day by day vivid accounting of an Army Chaplain's life with infantry soldiers in almost constant combat in Viet Nam. Newby is only the 2d Chaplain in history to be awarded the Combat Infantryman's Badge. All soldiers, especially those who served in the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam, must read this stunning work.

What Bruning has done in "Jungle Ace" is remarkable: he manages figuratively to bring to full flesh-and-blood life a man who has been dead for nearly 60 years. When I finished reading this biography, I felt I knew and understood Gerry Johnson: felt the weight of the command burden he carried, the exhilaration of victory in combat, the self-doubt when losses occurred, the grinding boredom of life in the SWPA, and the never-ending homesickness. I also got a sense of what he would be like in different situations: as a friend, as a commander, as a classmate.

This is exceedingly hard to do, but Bruning has done it: he somehow got long-ago memories jumpstarted, got people talking. While I accept that some of the quoted conversations probably did not take place word for word as presented, I feel the approach helps the book make the man more real. Charles Martin, in his bio of Tom McGuire, did the same thing, and it worked for both authors.

Thanks, Mr. Bruning for bringing a too-little known hero to light. You can be sure that my children will read about Gerry Johnson.

Just finished reading this book a few days ago, and I've got to say that it's one of the best WWII non-fiction books I've ever read. Not only is it easy to read and exciting, but Mr. Bruning skillfully covers some of the more technical aspects of Johnson's air combat battles.

Good for hard-core WWII air combat nuts (like me!) as well as the average reader. Anyone with any interest in combat aircraft, WWII, or great reading material in general will love this book!

-Scott Rudi

John's latest, "Jungle Ace," ranks without a doubt as one of the best biographies that I have ever read. John spent several years painstakingly researching for this book, and it shows in the incredible level of detail contained in these pages. Without boring us with this detail, the book highlights John's ability to tell a story with just the right word selection to paint a vivid, movie-like picture in the reader's mind. "Jungle Ace" follows the life of P-38 fighter ace Jerry Johnson from schoolboy to aviation candidate to grisly combat conditions, all in amazing clarity that will immerse you into the story, as if you were standing side by side with Johnson himself. As tense and taughtly written as a best-selling fiction novel, author Bruning has created a story that even non-aviation history buffs will enjoy thoroughly...

For those readers looking to see just how demanding, unforgiving and gruesome air combat in the steaming jungles of the South Pacific islands could be, this is the book for you. "Jungle Ace" is a rich, vivid and thoroughly honest chronicle of a young Oregon man who helped save the world. A rewarding read that goes beyond the military history genre.

The First Part Last is the story of teenager Bobby Morris, a guy who likes to hang out with his friends K-Boy and J. L.; they're typical boys who want to shoot hoops, buy a slice of pizza in a New York City neighborhood, or play with a Game Boy. But things are never the same when Bobby gets Nia pregnant; she's flipping out about this baby developing inside her belly, and Bobby is learning all too fast what it takes to be a daddy and a man.

Bobby narrates the story, explaining all the feelings he has for his new baby daughter called Feather. It seems everything he does these days must be done in consideration of his daughter. Bobby and Feather are irrevocably tied together and Bobby is trying his best to cope with the joys and challenges of his new role.

The First Part Last may serve as a realistic wake-up call for teenagers who are experimenting with sex and who think pregnancy, motherhood, or fatherhood cannot happen to them. The book describes a lot of what being a parent entails and teens may think twice about what they'd want for their own future; being tied to a baby, or maybe having better alternatives about the direction for their lives.

One thing missing from the book is intensity. The narrator's voice is mild throughout the story so you never feel like anything explosive is about to happen. But maybe that is the writer's intent - that the reality of parenthood is explosive enough. The First Part Last is a brief and important book for teens to check out, and perhaps their parents too.

This is a great book it made me want to cry it was a touching story. What i liked most was how it kept you alert because it switches from the past to the present every couple pages so the book makes you think its a great book I'd suggest that anyone should read it!!

Through sets of chapters reverting from "then" to "now", Angela Johnson tells the story of Bobby and his baby Feather. Bobby is 16 and when his girlfriend Nia tells him she's pregnant, his world changes dramatically. Because of the unique way this single story is split into two time periods that meet at the end, you already know the ending (or so you think) but you don't know how events unfolded to get you there.

From sketches of Bobby's life before Feather is born to days when he is bone weary from caring for her in the absence of her mother, this book is excellent. The perspective of a single father raising a child is fascinating.

It was a commonly used story line, but Kel Johnson was able to do it differently, in an unsually heartfelt way. It made me laugh at her wit, and cry for their pain.

What a great book to curl up and read with! A great present for all!

The sex scenes were steamy, the friendship between the two characters was believable, and the story line was out of a modern day fairy tale.

This book inspired a love of reading in my second grader. She ranked reading right up there with going to the dentist (no offense), until she got her hands on this book. The short, captivating stories seemed to fascinate her, and she begged me to order the rest of the series. I hope Bruce Lansky keeps up the good work!

This book was SO COOL!!! My favorite story was either The Fairy Godmother's Assistant, For Love of Sunny, The Royal Joust, orLian and the Unicorn. But ALL of the stories were awsome; I loved them all! Keep writing/editing, Bruce Lansky!!!

GIRL POWER! THIS IS A GREAT BOOK FOR ALL GIRLS! I AM A SECOND GRADER AND I THINK THIS IS THE COOLEST BOOK. ALL THE GIRL CHARACTERS ARE SMART, FUNNY , COURAGEOUS AND KNOW HOW TO THINK AND SOLVE PROBLEMS! I HAVE FOUND A LOT OF HEROES IN THIS BOOK!

I enjoyed this book well enough to send a copy of it to my Father and an Aunt, who also grew up Lutheran. They enjoyed it, too.

. . . grow up Lutheran and in the Midwest, you may not appreciate the total humor of this book, but it's still a delightfully witty, tongue-in-cheek commentary on a by-gone era. Once started, I couldn't put it down, because it called up a flood of memories, everything from Sunday School pins to Mother-Daughter banquets to cemetary upkeep. It was MY life they were talking about. For those of you who did (grow up Lutheran in the Midwest), it a journey back into time; for those of you who didn't, it's an education about a whole bunch of us who sit quietly here in the Midwest doing what come naturally.

This book reignited old memories of growing up in the Swedish Lutheran Church. My grandmother was a member of the legendary Martha Society and probably cooked more chicken that Perdue has ever processed. I roared with laughter over the church characters portrayed. Unfortunately they are not unique. This is a must buy!

At the height of the Cold War Vernon Johnson decided to take a trip around the world - with his wife and eight children. Home Is Where The Bus Is is Anne's autobiography of that experience, packed with rich encounters with other cultures and a journey filled with adventures and unique experiences. Armchair travelers will delight in the stories.

A really cool book and in these days of modern times I can think of no better way, other than flying one's flag 24 hours a day, to kick "Mister Osama Yo' Mama" right in his little be-turbaned rag-headed behind other than buying Ms. Johnson's bejeweled, glimmering memoir/slash/travelogue, plus its not as much as a downer as Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", at least there's no half-insane Kurtz waiting at the end of the bus trip, unless I smoked a bit too much hash and missed a coupla' chapters so far. There is only 2 great travel books about buses. There's "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test", there's "Magical Mystery Tour" (I know, not really a book, well excuuuussee mmeee!) and now there's a 3rd! "Home is Where the Bus is!" You Go Girl! 5 Big stars!

This book is wonderful. Remember that old Coke commercial - the one with people singing on the hillside "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony...?" Remember when you first heard it and it felt possible and warm, not corny or ridiculous?
This book feels like a refrain from that jingle, like all we need to give peace a chance is to send out a family like the ten Johnsons on another goodwill bus tour...

The author should know that the only criticism possible is that the covers of her book are too close together!

If you are having a bad day, this is definitely the book to read. There's no way that you can read it and not laugh!! These women are incredible. Just reading one chapter a day gives you enough encouragement to tackle any obstacle you may have going on in your life. If you want something inspirational, light-hearted, and loving, this is the book for you.

"Joy Breaks", by Patsy Clairmont, Barbara Johnson, Luci Swindoll and Marilyn Meberg dramatically changed my outlook on life! I was going through a season of depression. I couldn't escape the torment I was living in day after day. After attending the first Women of Faith conference, I picked up a copy of "Joy Breaks". These four wonderful and zainy ladies (to whom I am forever indebted) taught me how to find humor in every day experiences and encouraged me to find reasons to laugh. My entire perspective on life has changed. I now understand and know that the Lord truly is the joy of my strength! If you are ready to start living life--and enjoying it--consider taking "Joy Breaks" for a spin!

I really enjoyed the way this book was laid out. The authors have unique writing styles, but very friendly, as if they were speaking directly to you. Each devotion is short enough to squeeze into a corner of your day. However, I found myself reading two or three at a time. I liked it so much I bought another copy as a Secret Sister gift!