This is not great literature, but it is a great accomplishment!

When i read this, i was angry, sympathetic, and resentful. Several years before Charlotte wrote her book, i had written a book about my experiences in 2 decades of state care without ever being adopted. I did not have the opportunity that the pageant brought to Charlotte in terms of national exposure and the deals that can result from that. I was angry because in reading the story in the context of my own life of abuse,neglect and bouncing around 5-600% more than Charlotte, her woes as a foster child seemed pretty lightweight to me. I was sympathetic because many of the observations she made were right on, only more amplified with greater instability or degree. And i was resentful that she had found some caring people such as the Scheps and the Wensley families. The Scheps sound like the kind of people i dreamed about and cried myself to sleep many a night until one day there were no more tears. All my grief was gone and i was numb.

But then i thought of the good Charlotte has done in using her exposure as a platform to heighten awareness of the issues of foster children. Writing a book such as Lost in the System is generally not a big profit taker, but anyone who walks away and gets something out of it in terms of understanding throwaway kids is one more ally in this forgotten corner of American society. It was painful for me to read some of the passages in this book , for it dredged long -forgotten feelings and this shows a shared quality of experience.

I have known persons such as Janet Henry and the enormous patience she must have. One must wonder how her life must be both gratifying and sad; gratified to help kids no one else will, and sad to bond with kids only to see them leave. The Wensleys impressed me a great deal for it must have been no small feat for them to show the humility needed to change their approach from strict Fundamentalist Protestantism to a more compassionate tone as evidenced by Charlotte's visits following their separation. I also understand fully the financial considerations the Wensleys faced, as while i was growing up foster parents had no reservations about making me feel unworthy of even food or clothes. Fortunately, Charlotte was spared this.

And when i read about the Scheps, i felt enormous gratitude to them for helping Charlotte realize her dream. I did not get that dream and i know the pain i have felt my whole life. Because the Scheps have more caring than the two of them can hold, they have truly changed Charlotte's life forever. I have seen many peers die, become drug addicts/dealers, prostitutes, absentee parents, prisoners and each time i saw it i saw some of me in them. In Charlotte i see the past i never had but by her sharing her story i got a glimpse into a life i wish i could have had and for a few hours i forgot. Knowing that there are people like the Scheps, the Wensleys, Janet Henry and Charlotte Lopez not forgetting to thank them reassures me there are still good people in the world.

Ken Grant of Methuen Mass. wrote a book in 1993 called "The Wanderer",about his experiences as a state ward and handicapped child survivor of the cancer epidemic in Woburn,Mass. He wrote of how state officials blocked his access to state records at every turn. But where he was blackballed and harassed by the state and federal governments, Lopez succeeded in getting her message out.

This book shows how one woman overcame a tragic past to make good and become a role model for others of similar background. It is amazing she has been able to do this, as Ken Grant wrote a similar work called "The Wanderer" but was blackballed because of it. There are many questions that come out of a book such as this: - are kids denied spiritual or religious exposure while in state care? - what are the demographics of kids in state care? - Does the Us govt view abandoned kids as a business and so have a vested interest in assuring that a steady flow of abandoned kids perpetuates?

This is the first in the series about Joe Guther, a police lieutenant in Brattleboro, Vermont. The story does very well in portraying life in Vermont and the politics in a small city in which everyone has to answer to someone.

The character development is well done and the love interest aspect is satisfying. There are a plenty of subplots, maybe too many, but the overall story is inventive without being too complicated. However the various successful developments of solving the mystery do seem to be very conveniently available.

The solution is more of following the dots than putting the pieces of the puzzle together to get the big picture, the way most police solve crimes.

Better than the average crime novel but if you read 1-3 a week, you might have trouble remembering much about the book 2 weeks after finishing it.

I read this book because one of the characters is modeled after someone I know. Although the part pertaining to that person spans a few pages, I am glad I read the story. Obviously, it takes a stretch of the imagination to make Vermont that exciting, but it is credible and enjoyable. I have read all of Ridley Pearson, Patricia Cornwell, John Sandford, and several others. I will now begin the task of completing Mayor's series. His research is thorough, and it is easy to visualize the story as you read along.

All of Archer Mayor's books have a gripping story line. Although the stories are first class, the pictures drawn with words as the story unfolds are the best that I have ever encountered. The magnificent metaphors can create, in less than one sentence, images that may take other authors pages. Although each book is independent in and of itself, I enjoy reading the stories in sequence. There is a steady progression in character development and interpersonal relationships as we go from story to story.

If you are a mystery fan, I am sure that you will enjoy the entire series as much as I have. If you are a student taking a course in creative writing, I don't think that you will find a better word artist than Archer Mayor.

Call it bookman's snobbery, but it seems like far more novels are published in hardcover than deserve the honor. The cardboard bindings, generous type and colorful wrapping gives the feeling that what you hold in your hand is a work of lasting value. It's saying this is not just a paperback story whose pages age into brittleness as fast as you turn them.

Archer Mayor's series about Vermont detective Joe Gunther well deserve the hardcover treatment. His seventh book, "The Ragman's Memory" is a richly crafted tale that begins with the discovery of a hank of human hair in a bird's nest, and grows into a web of interrelated murders driven by greed, insanity and pride.

It's also a book whose plot should not be summarized further. Even reading the jacket copy would spoil the fun of watching Gunther -- competent and bland but surrounded by a great supporting cast -- start with a small girl's wonderment at the hank of human flesh she found, and follow that thread as it grows and turns tangled and convoluted. It's a mandlebrot of a story. The closer Gunther and the rest of the Brattleboro police force look, the more details appear, the list of suspects grow, and the implications and dangers of what they find increase.

Mayor tells his tale with carefully chosen words that economically reveals its details without padding. His writing is focused and sometimes intimate at unexpected moments, whether spotting a detective with an unusual method of passing the time at stakeouts, or creeping into the mind of a World War II veteran unable to leave the Battle of the Bulge.

Acting as the amphitheater for this morality play is Vermont, a state of rugged, sometimes heartbreaking beauty, mashed against the reality of industrial towns that have outlived their usefulness but which survive on sheer inertia. It's a landscape as compelling as Chandler's Los Angeles or Hillerman's New Mexico, and Mayor's skill renders the Green Mountain State with sympathy and beauty.

It all begins when a young girl brings a bird's nest for Lt. Joe Gunther to look at. The nest has strands of human hair plaited throughout. Not too unusual however there are patches of scalp still attached to the hair which leads Gunther to believe there's been a homicide. Other seemingly unrelated deaths occur. Strange deaths such as a potential witness to the first homicide dying of rabies. Or a much-disliked older woman being strangled in her nursing-home bed. Are they all related, Gunther wonders, and if so, how.

I've enjoyed all of Mr. Mayor's Gunther novels and this was no exception. His plots are convoluted but they all tie together neatly at the end. His characters are very believeable and his ability to place you in snowy Vermont is exceptional. He'll keep you guessing until the end. In a market flooded with mediocre mysteries the Joe Gunther novels stand out. I'd recommend this one and any of the others too.

All of Archer Mayor's books have a gripping story line. Although the stories are first class, the pictures drawn with words as the story unfolds are the best that I have ever encountered. The magnificent metaphors can create, in less than one sentence, images that may take other authors pages. Although each book is independent in and of itself, I enjoy reading the stories in sequence. There is a steady progression in character development and interpersonal relationships as we go from story to story.

If you are a mystery fan, I am sure that you will enjoy the entire series as much as I have. If you are a student taking a course in creative writing, I don't think that you will find a better word artist than Archer Mayor.

This book carries the warmth you would share as you sit in the evening by the fire listening to an old friend tell you personal stories of their life. Some of the chapters, such as 'My Father's Violin' stand on their own as beautiful essays. I read and re-read that chapter several times as Eliza talked about memories of her father and the few shared times that they had together. The entire book is a reminder of what is important in life and how we all search for our own home.

From all the books I checked out at the library, this is the first that I had to own. This book is so New England you can't help but laugh out loud. She has guts AND the ability to laugh at her own stupidness. Any one who does not get a chuckle out of this book needs to loosen up in life and stop and smell the roses. I wish I had half the gall that she has to make life the way she has, and I wish I knew her.

This is such a lovely, small treasure. Like reading the diary of a wonderful friend, off on the adventure of her life, taking chances, getting scared, terrified, stuck, lonely, but trying again each time, full of life, hopeful--a lot like a lot of our lives. I think that's why I liked it so much. It was so real. It made me feel that there are others out there who are scared, vacillate, worry, yet continue on. I loved this book.

To be frank, I am baffled by the praise this book has received. I was "forced" to read it for a book club and found it to be completely unenagaging. When one runs across a book written in such simple language the reaction is to find within the lines some deeper/hidden meaning. Unfortunately this was not the case with "New Cardiff". A third grader could comprehend the complexities laid out on the pages. A quick read is one thing that can be memorbale for many reasons (try Joyce Carol Oates "Beasts"), but Webb's attempts in New Cardiff are simply forgettable. If you choose to take a stab at this one, please don't invest, because my prediction is within the first 7 pages a reader will be ready to abandon this work of fiction. You can borrow mine.

One of the funniest, witty stories I've read in a long time.

Brit artist escapes collapsed love affair to regain equilibrium in a New England town. Webb's dialogue has not been bettered for sure-eared parody of English as she is spoke both sides of the Atlantic. I assume CW is American, and he lives in England, which explains his utter skill.

It's slated for a movie, and what a killer it'll make, and what plum parts all round.

A brilliant touch is to have sketches of the people that the central character draws and they are perfect. The temptation is to turn to the end of the chapter to see what 'Fred' (Webb's partner) has come up with. Every one a winner.

I've given it as a gift to so many loved ones and with one accord they've phoned to thank and congratulate on my unerring choice.

Of course, what else from the pen of 'The Graduate'? But this really *is* special and no one will be disappointed.

I almost passed this book up after reading some pretty negatives reviews on it here at Amazon.com I'm so glad I didn't! This is a very funny, very engaging story. Yes, it's true, there's no deeper meaning or hidden agenda, but the concentration of the comedy and the unique way in which it is presented is what makes the story so enjoyable. Webb doesn't clutter up the story line with descriptive narrative. Instead, he focuses on the dialog that makes up everyday life and omits nearly everything but the bare essentials. This keeps the story strong and consistent and anything but boring.

Colin Ware is an English artist who finds himself in the rural town of New Cardiff, Vermont after Vera breaks his heart by marrying someone else. Mandy Martin is a depressed, nursing home aid who is obsessed with the good times high school gave her. Colin and Mandy begin a sweet little relationship and all is going along quite nicely... till Vera shows up. Webb makes it impossible for the reader to feel anything but pride and sympathy for Colin and his sense of humor in character interaction is priceless. I will read this book over and over... it is a gem.

The plot line of the book sounds suspiciously like the plot of Richard Russo's Straight Man. Just an observation.

A dead body is found on the railroad tracks, its head and hands crushed by the locomotive. A young prostitute is found murdered in her home in the poor section of town, her head almost severed from her body. Two seemingly unrelated crimes and yet a powerful Vermont legislator's name keeps popping up whereever Joe Gunther looks. And as Gunther and the Brattleboro police department dig further, more and more suspects and theories emerge. But who's the real killer? And how does this all tie to a toxic dumping scam.

Once again Mr. Mayor writes a good, solid small-town police procedural. The characters are all well drawn and they interest you. Mr. Mayor knows his procedure and it all rings true. I've remarked in past reviews of this series that perhaps Brattleboro is too small a venue for so many crimes and Mr. Mayor seems to agree. Joe Gunther will be joining the new Vermont Bureau of Investigation for his next novel. It should open up a great many more possibilities. Anyway, this is a fine book like most of the Joe Gunther novels and I recommend it.

For those interested in police procedural work and how small town law enforcement operates,along with the politics involved, there is no better series. Rich in geographical detail; I like to keep a roadmap of the North Eastern states beside me as I trace Joe Gunther's travels around the area, invetigating and running down clues,in this case strange killings linked to hazardous waste. This is the tenth entry in the series and each book builds upon it's predecessors. In order to fully understand Joe and Gail's relationship in this book, one should go back to "Fruits of the Poisonous Tree" and go on from there. Or better still, start at the beginning "Open Season" and read the whole series in order of publication.

How Tia Lola Came to Stay is a delightful story about a 10-year old boy going through major changes in his life and how he learns to deal with these changes. Miguel has moved to a small town in Vermont from New York City because his parents are getting a divorce. His mother has a new job as a counselor at a college, and Miguel and his little sister, Juanita, have to start a new life with her. It is hard for Miguel to be the only Latino in his class and he misses his father. He tries not to say too much about his feelings, as he doesn't want to upset his mother. Even so, he is not thrilled when she tells him that her aunt, Tia Lola, is coming from the Dominican Republic to help take care of them while they get settled. She doesn't speak English and Miguel and Juanita only speak a little Spanish. Tia Lola arrives like a burst of sunshine on a cold, gray Vermont day. She brings good food, love, laughter, and a spice for life. She is not worried about fitting in and everyone loves her, though Miguel cannot help but be embarrassed by her at first. Through her colorful approach to life she helps Miguel and his family figure out how to cope with all the changes in their lives and comes up with a plan to help Miguel make friends.
How Tia Lola Came to Stay touches on subjects that are relevant to children today. Divorce, moving, family dynamics, learning to fit in are topics with which many children have to deal. Julia Alvarez does a nice job of sprinkling the dialogue with Spanish words and finding authentic reasons to translate them in the text. Tia Lola's joyful way of living life comes through in the situations and language Alvarez uses. Miguel's maturation through the book is gradual and believable as he works through his feelings about what has happened to his family. All in all this book is a good read.

This book will inspire the hearts of children everywhere, it is relevant to many children today. Its focus is around a family that has just been split apart by divorce. Miguel and Junita have to suffer from this divorce by moving away from their father in New York to live with their mother in Vermont. Miguel and Juanita do not want their Aunt Lola to come. Little do these children know, that when their Aunt Lola from the Dominican Republic comes to visit they grow to like her and do not want her to leave. Aunt Lola speaks only Spanish, Miguel and Junita speak some Spanish (enough to get by). Not only do these children have to learn to fit in in a new school, but also learn to make their Aunt feel welcome. Miguel thinks that Aunt Lola has special powers that allowed him to be on the baseball team. A child's imagination can can run wild in this novel. This book if filled with Spanish, which can help a young reader learn a different language. A trip to the Dominican Republic inspires the children to want to learn more about Aunt Lola's culture. They were surprised at how much they looked like their relatives, even though they are Americans. The story is filled with a lot of twists, especially at the end. I recommend this book to any child who is interested in different cultures.

I just read and enjoyed this book in one sitting and had to sign on to comment. At first, I was a little unsure if I would like it (the present tense third person was a surprise), but after only a paragraph or so, I was hooked. I won't try to sum up the story (you can read the description for yourself) but only say that Alvarez was spot-on in her descriptions of how it feels to be the child of divorce, how it feels to be Latino, etc. I would also recommend this book to middle-grade boys who like baseball and those readers who don't like an extreme conflict (there are problems for the main character here, but Tia Lola takes care of many of them, and the effect is comforting).

I think it's unfortunate that a reviewer gave this one star on the basis that the book did not live up to the author's other adult works. I read many many children's books (and try to write them myself) and giving this book one star is simply unfair. I have not read Alvarez' other works (I probably will go seek them out after this!), but if they're THAT much better than this book, then they must be outstanding!

Overall, a sweet and charming read that made me wish I had a Tia Lola too!

Number Uno, I live in Bellows Falls and Mr Archer Mayor lives in Putney. So he doesn't know the first thing about what it's even _like_ to live here! The book only focused on the bad things of BF, not the good things. It made us all seem like a bunch of debauched hick drug addicts. Get a life! Not only has everyone in the state now heard of us, but the whole country! I'd rather be from Westminster any day.

The whole thing begins simply enough. Joe Gunther is asked to help the police chief of nearby Bellows Falls investigate a sexual harrassment complaint against one of his officers by Jan Bouch. However Gunther quickly realizes that there is more to the whole thing than simple sexual harrassment when he meets Jan's con-man husband, Norm. Does Norm really run drugs as the Bellows Falls police believe and is he behind the disappearance of known drug seller Jasper Morgan?

As with all of Mr. Mayor's books the plot seems simple to begin with but as Joe Gunther peels away layer after layer we finally realize just how convoluted the whole thing is. I'm always amazed at how Mr. Mayor is able to tie it all up neatly at the end, but he does. And it always makes sense when he's finished. As always Mr. Mayor's characters are dead on. And he really seems to know what makes a small police department tick. All of the Joe Gunther books are just flat-out entertaining. These stand head-and-shoulders above much of the garbage that passes for mysteries these days. I recommend all of Mr. Mayor's books highly.

An engaging and thoughtful crime mystery novel. Based in Vermont, it has an unusual feel. We are so used to crime settings in big cities, this has a unique outlook. Of course, small towns and small states have crimes, also. This book, set in Vermont, gets to focus in on characters and personalities. Archer writes with clarity and precision. His characters are interesting and the secondary characters have particular depth.

Having lived and gone to school in Vermont (Middlebury, for which Archer gives a nice plug in the book) the settngs and geography all ring true. Fun, light reading.

I am a third grade teacher and this past year one of my guided reading groups read "A Llama in the Family" by Johanna Hurwitz. We had so much fun reading about Adam and his adventures with Ethan Allen. My students were enthralled with the idea of a llama as a family pet. Johanna Hurwitz was skillful weaving so many fun and meaningful experiences into her story. As a post reading assignment my students had to make pamphlets to advertise a llama trek. What made it special to me is that this summer my husband and I found a bed and breakfast, The Applewood Inn in Virginia, that actually offered llama treks. Needless to say, that was the hook that got us to stay there. We didn't eat blueberry soup on our trek, but we learned so much more about llamas. Pick up a copy of the book, it is so much fun to read and there is much to learn about llamas.

Hi. I'm a third grader from the U.S. I give A Llama in the Family 4 stars because it is very funny and a little dull. It's a little easy but still another good book from Johanna Hursitz. I recommend it to everyone ages 7-8. It talks about a llama named Ethan Allen. The main characters are Adam, April, mom, dad, and Ethan Allen. I didn't like the ending because it really doesn't give a good ending. They could have written a little more but it's still a great book!

Hi I'm a third grader from the U.S and I give a Llama in The Family four stars for its good ideas and suspense. I was on my toes through the whole book. I would recommend this book to a 7 or 8 year old kid because it is challenging but it is not long enough. As you probably know by the title the story is about a llama that somehow joins a family. You will find that the llama makes the family crazy with sprises and excitement.

Joe Gunther has a mystery on his hands. Who is the body found face-down in the quarry with all the labels cut out of his clothing. The dead man looks vaguely slavic and he has some cyrillic characters tattooed on his toes, but that's it. As Gunther tries different avenues he finds that suddenly the CIA wants to talk to him about the murder. And when he goes to Washington he's attacked by a knife-weilding assassin. But the final straw is when he's suspended for allegedly stealing a diamond brooch missing from a jewelry store robbery. Joe is convinced that he's been set-up to take him off the case and he goes after the Russian mob on his own.

Mr. Mayor is a good writer. His characters and dialog have always struck me as being believable. However I think he's finding that having his protagonist work in the small town of Brattleboro Vermont is becoming a bit too constraining. In this mystery we've got the CIA and the Russian mob. We've got ex-Russian spies fighting for their lives and we've got a mob shootout that almost costs Gunther his life. Perhaps a bit too much to believe for Brattleboro. Not that the mystery itself is bad. I still think that Mayor's novels are many times better than a lot of the junk that passes for mysteries these days. I just think that this particular book doesn't quite measure up to his earlier works.

I had enjoyed several Mayor novels prior to this one: a sensitive and humble hero, nicely shaded supporting characters, multidimensional villains, complicated but carefully developed plotting. And framed by a lovingly drawn Vermont background.

But I guess Archer decided he wants Arnold to someday play Joe Gunther on the silver screen because this one leaves all of the above behind. Instead we have an ever-widening and increasingly unbelievable web of FBI, CIA, Russian operatives and a hail of bullets.

I think the reader from Maryland asks the right question: Did Archer Mayor really write this book?

Say it isn't so, Archer.

Archer Mayor is a good plot crafter. He sets up crimes bereft of any clue except one - and that one clue leads to many more. In this outing, there are ambitious city politicians, CIA spooks, and Russian mafia of all things. If Mayor was heavy handed or trite, he would have these evil forces pulling every impossible dirty trick from a comic book you could imagine. Thankfully, he shows restraint. The writing and dialogue is lean, the story moves quickly (sometimes too quickly) and there is a cliffhanger type of ending. One thing that would change my review to five stars is this: I don't feel a payoff from the climactic endings. All the events leading up to the finale are satisfactory.

Not to readers - you will get the most satisfaction from these books if you read them in sequence. You will get to know the characters and understand their motivations and personalities.